Prices of imported powdered milk and wheat flour in the country will not be increased under any circumstances, the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development has announced.

The assurance was given when powdered milk importers and wheat flour companies met with the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe, today (23).

The two parties held discussions regarding the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on supply and distribution networks, as well as maintaining a continuous supply.

During the meeting, the companies pledged that they would not raise prices, according to a statement issued by the Ministry.

Although rising fuel prices and the appreciation of the US Dollar have affected their production costs, the companies stated that their intention is to work with the government to provide some relief to the public during the ongoing challenging period.

They also assured the Minister that sufficient stocks of imported powdered milk and wheat flour are available for the next three months, and that no price increases will be made until the end of the upcoming New Year season.

Furthermore, the companies pointed out that fuel quotas have impacted their distribution activities.

It was also mentioned that the Minister advised the companies to register for a special data collection program introduced to identify fuel requirements of transport service providers in the food distribution sector, according to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development.