Colombo: Supermarkets in Colombo, the capital city, are running out of sugar and other essential commodities, increasing the residents’ woes.
People are standing in queues for hours outside supermarkets to get sugar and other essentials like cooking gas, gasoline, kerosene, milk powder and medicines.
According to UN agencies, as many as 5.7 million residents including 2.3 million children require immediate humanitarian assistance.
Sugar prices are also surging due to depleting stocks. Sugar importers had earlier stated that sweetner cost in the domestic market will escalate further if they have to import the commodity from Thailand. Due to the Ukraine crisis, India had suspended the export of sugar. The sugar importers urged the government to resolve the issue diplomatically.
