The State Trading Organization STO says it will sell coconut at MVR 20 per kg to retail customers amid a nationwide shortage and skyrocketing prices.
STO said it is taking necessary measures to maintain the prices of food items under the special preparations it made in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs for the month of Ramadan.
Noting that the market price of coconuts has hiked increasingly, STO said that right now, coconuts were selling for MVR 40 to MVR 60.
The prices have been at this level for a week now, raising public concern, and STO is working to address the coconut supply shortage in the market through the company.
STO said that it is releasing additional stocks of coconut to meet the demand in the market and that it is working to import coconuts to meet the requirements of traders to bring the price of coconuts down.
STO further said that wholesalers can now book coconut stocks for import. It added that the purpose of this is to identify the total demand for coconut in the Sri Lankan market and increase the supply accordingly.
It said that wholesalers can contact STO People's Choice via 3012575 or viber message to 7291124 to make the bookings. It said that the shipment of coconut would be delivered every 10 days as booking is available. STO will also arrange for delivery to the warehouse at a reasonable price.
The State Trading Organization said that the goods must be paid in local currency when the shipment arrives.
