Nov 08, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said levies on several essential food items are to be reduced from midnight today to control the cost of living of the consumers.
Announcing this pre-budget benefit, minister told the media that majority of the consumers will benefit from this action, due to reduction of prices. He said this reduction will cost the government around 1,500 million rupees per month.
According to the announcement, the levy of following food commodities will reduce in following manner.
| Item | Prevailing Duty Rate | New Duty Rate | Duty Reduction |
| (Rs. Per kilo) | (Rs. Per kilo) | by (Rs. Per kilo) | |
| Sprats | 11 | 1 | 10 |
| Potatoes | 40 | 1 | 39 |
| B’ onions | 40 | 1 | 39 |
| Lentils – whole | 10 | 1 | 9 |
| Lentils – Split | 15 | 3 | 12 |
| Dried fish | 102 | 52 | 50 |
| Palm oil/other veg. oil – crude | 110 | 95 | 15 |
| Palm olen | 115 | 100 | 15 |
| Palm stearin | 110 | 95 | 15 |
| Refine palm oil | 135 | 110 | 25 |
| Other veg. oil refine | 130 | 105 | 25 |
| Palm Kernal – crude | 130 | 105 | 25 |
| Refine | 145 | 110 | 35 |
| Coconut oil (Crude/ Refine) | 130 | 105 | 25 |