Mention stores that sell goods at low rates : Sampath

COLOMBO (News1st): The stores at which 27 essential commodities would be sold under concessionary rates must be named by the trade minister, a trade unionist has said. The government announced that the prices of these goods would be sold under concessionary rates at Sathosa and Cooperative food outlets. Accordingly, a kilo of Red Raw Rice will be sold at Rs 93, while a kilo of Nadu rice will be sold at Rs 96, and a kilo of Keeri Samba at Rs 125. Wheat flour will be sold at Sathosa and Cooperative food outlets at Rs 84 a kilo. In addition, white sugar will be sold at Rs 99 rupees a kilo, and brown sugar at Rs 125. Dhal has been priced at Rs 165 rupees a kilo while the price of big onions has been fixed at Rs 120. Potatoes cultivated locally will be sold at Rs 180 rupees at Sathosa and Cooperative food outlets. "At present, samba rice and white sugar will be sold at a maximum of two kilos," Anura Pandithage, the chief executive officer of Lanka Sathosa noted. But Asela Sampath, the national organizer of the Foundation to Protect People’s Rights observed that some commodities were not available at certain locations. "Bandula Gunawardana said a kilo of sugar will be sold at a price of 85 rupees per kilo. But today, there is no sugar for 85 rupees," he observed. Sampath noted that the cost of big onion on the list of essential commodities is higher than market rates. "A kilo of big onions sold at a supermarket for Rs 90. But in the list of 27 items, the price of a kilo of big onion is Rs 127," he added.