‘80% of hotels and canteens’ to close in Sri Lanka as food crisis grips island

by Thusiyan
Dec 17, 2021

File photo: Dhammika Heenpella

More than 80% of all hotels and canteens across the island will be forced to close from tomorrow, claimed the Chief of the All Island Canteen Owners' Association (AICOA), as a domestic gas fuel shortage and soaring food prices leaves the island in the midst of a worsening food crisis.

Asela Sampath told the Daily Mirror that the shortage of domestic Liquid Petroleum (LP) gas and rising vegetable prices had left many canteen owners across the island facing a stark choice.

"The canteen owners are facing a critical situation where they are unable to continue with their services," Sampath said.

He went on to note that the price of vegetable lunch packets has been increased to Rs.180, a marked rise from previously.

In October, the price of cooking gas shot up by almost 90% as the Sri Lankan government abandoned its strategy of price controls on essential goods.

Tamil protestors in Mullaitivu last month.

Protests have taken place across the Tamil North-East and the Sinhala south against the increasing prices of essential goods such as gas, sugar, cement, and fertilizers.

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