Prices of essential food items in check

Minister of Commerce, Marketing Development Co-operative and Consumer Service, Bandula Gunawardhana promised to keep the prices of essential food items under control before the Sinhala New Year.

Addressing the media at his ministry auditorium, Minister Gunawardhana said that owing to the agreement between the Consumers Affairs Authority and wholesale dealers in March for 10 months ending on December 25, 2007, the prices of essential food items have increased with the implementation of the previous Act.

The Minister said that there was no introduction of a Tax Act or tax increase. Co-op shops are to be opened in co-operative societies islandwide and already nine Super co-op shops have been built in the Eastern Province.

The Ministry has taken steps to provide one million rupees for the newly constructed co-op shops before the New Year and provide financial assistance through the People's Bank.