Breaking down Sri Lanka food shortage: Items people are queuing up for, and why

Queues stretch at government-run fair price shops — to buy essential commodities in short supply, such as rice, dal and flour and milk powder — because the prices in these outlets are still low. In private groceries and supermarkets, the prices are three to four times higher. People who can afford to do so are buying from these shops. But quantities per customer are restricted.

🗞️ Subscribe Now: Get Express Premium to access the best Election reporting and analysis 🗞️

Vegetables are aplenty, but because diesel is in short supply, transport costs have led to a hike in prices. In the villages, families subsist on what they grow.

LPG or cooking gas is also in short supply, and there are queues to get refills. A roaring black market in cylinders is doing brisk business.

On the road to Hambantota Sunday, I stopped at a small wayside eatery. Lunch for two cost Sri Lankan Rupee 300, or one dollar — dosai, vadas, and pittu, with coconut gravy. Only black tea was being served as milk powder was not available. Back at the medium-priced Colombo hotel at night, the restaurant offered a range of cuisines for dinner.

So its rice and dal, milk powder, cooking gas, diesel and medicines that are scarce. The longest and maximum number of queues are at fuel pumps, for diesel. The shortage of diesel has disrupted power supply.

Sri Lankans demanding president Gotabaya Rajapaksa resign over the debt-ridden country’s worst economic crisis protest outside the president’s office in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (AP)

The Rajapaksa government has so far believed it can ride out this crisis with a few cosmetic changes. In its favour is the absence of a challenger. Going against the government is that it has not yet been able to form a cabinet of ministers.

The fractured opposition is not confident of a majority in the House. Some want the abolition of the executive presidency, others say the need of the hour is to address the shortages and put the economy back on track again.

Meanwhile the protestors are signalling they are ready for the long haul. Some of those who gathered at Galle Face on Saturday have now pitched tents in a a green patch next to the presidential office and have named the place Gotagama.