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The argument is that the cost of importing petroleum products into Sri Lanka has increased substantially as a direct consequence of these circumstances, making it difficult for the companies to sell fuel at the prices prescribed by the Government.
In an effort to limit the losses incurred under these conditions, some companies have reportedly restricted the quantities supplied to their dealers rather than fulfilling the full quantities requested.
It is no secret that, over the years, a considerable number of politicians from both the Government and the Opposition have entered the filling-station business. Some others have also invested in the sector as a means of legitimising funds accumulated through various illicit activities.
Large, unused buildings and other structures on certain filling-station premises, which have little connection with the actual fuel business, are sometimes cited as evidence of such investment patterns.
For such operators, a reduction in the dealer margin may not have the same impact that it has on genuine entrepreneurs whose primary source of livelihood is the operation of a filling station. The reasons for this are self-evident.
Nevertheless, if the current situation continues, this group may eventually become disproportionately represented among those who remain in the CPC dealer network.
If that happens, whatever degree of dignity, professionalism and respect the fuel retail sector has built over the years could be diminished.
The fuel retail industry is not merely another commercial activity. It is a critical component of the country’s economic infrastructure. Fuel dealers operate at the final point of contact between the petroleum supply system and the consumer. They must maintain costly infrastructure, comply with numerous regulatory and safety requirements, employ staff, manage environmental risks and provide uninterrupted service to the public.
Therefore, while the efforts being made by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to improve profitability, increase storage capacity, modernise infrastructure and expand refining capacity are welcome, equal attention must be given to the sustainability of its dealer network.
It is both the duty and the responsibility of the Corporation to carefully examine all these factors and provide its dealers with the facilities, margins and other necessary benefits required to maintain a healthy and sustainable fuel retail industry.
A financially sustainable dealer network is ultimately in the interest of CPC itself. Without a viable retail network at the end of the supply chain, improvements in storage, transportation, refining and wholesale operations cannot fully translate into a reliable and sustainable service to the consumer.
The question, therefore, is not simply whether Sri Lanka’s fuel retail sector is facing difficulties today. The more important question is whether the present system is being structured in a manner that will allow fuel dealers to remain viable tomorrow.
N. J. Mayadunne President, Anuradhapura District Fuel Dealers’ Association
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In an era where personal finance management is increasingly critical amidst prevailing macroeconomic conditions, retail banking customers across Sri Lanka are taking a closer look at the incidental costs of bank transaction fees which the banks boast as their ‘fee income’.
Minor overhead charges – ranging from minimum balance penalties to third-party ATM fees – can quietly eat away at personal savings.
When asked for views in this context, a financial analyst told The Island Financial Review that while commercial banks play a vital role in mobilising savings and driving payment digitisation, understanding the fine print on schedules of bank charges is key to optimising personal liquidity.
He took a closer look at six common bank fees prevalent in Sri Lanka’s banking sector and practical strategies on how account holders can defend their hard-earned money against them.
1. Account maintenance and service charges
Many traditional savings and current accounts levied by commercial banks feature semi-annual or monthly maintenance fees if average balances fall below specific operational thresholds (often ranging between LKR 2,500 to LKR 10,000 depending on the institutional tier and account category).
Account holders can bypass these overheads by closely tracking minimum balance rules or shifting to basic zero-minimum-balance savings products, children’s savings tiers, or senior citizen accounts. Additionally, opting out of physical paper statements in favor of digital e-statements prevents extraneous mailing levies.
When automated utility payments, insurance premiums, or routine withdrawals push an account balance below the mandated minimum limit during an operational cycle, banks often deduct a direct service penalty.
How to defend: Setting up real-time balance checks or leveraging mobile banking applications ensures account holders maintain a healthy cash buffer above the required operational limit to absorb unexpected automated debits.
3. Third-party ATM and Common Switch (CAS) fees
While transacting at your own bank’s ATM terminal remains free, using alternative machines via the Common ATM Switch network can incur small per-transaction interchange fees or balance inquiry charges.
How to defend: Sticking strictly to your issuer bank’s proprietary ATM network or maximising digital merchant payments via LankaQR drastically reduces the necessity for physical cash withdrawals.
4. Outstation and inter-bank paper instrument handling
Although electronic clearing has largely modernised the Sri Lankan financial system, legacy handling or manual collection processes for outstation or irregular paper instruments still carry transit and special handling costs.
Accelerating the transition away from physical paper cheques in favor of electronic fund transfers such as CEFT (Common Electronic Fund Transfer) or SLIPS (Sri Lanka Interbank Payments) – ensures speedier settlements at a fraction of traditional clearing overheads.
5. SMS alert and notification subscriptions
Instant transaction notifications provide critical security against fraud, but bundled SMS alert packages often carry recurring subscription charges billed directly to the customer account.
Customers looking to trim recurring costs can switch to free in-app push notifications provided through active mobile banking platforms, provided they maintain an active internet connection on their smartphones.
6. Outward remittances and Telegraphic Transfers (TT)
Facilitating international trade transactions, supporting family members abroad, or executing foreign currency movements involve SWIFT message charges, intermediary bank handling fees, and foreign exchange conversion markups.
Consolidating frequent, smaller international transfers into optimised single tranches helps minimise flat-rate handling fees. Utilising Personal Foreign Currency Accounts (PFCAs) also offers greater flexibility in managing foreign currency inflows.
In conclusion, he said, “If every rupee counts in your personal finances, these tips could help defend against unnecessary banking overheads.”
Continue Reading Business Escalating input costs batter Sri Lankan corrugated carton industry Published
Sri Lanka’s corrugated carton manufacturing sector is under severe financial strain due to escalating input costs, threatening the long-term sustainability of the industry. Prices for key paper grades – including Kraft Liner, White Liner, Test Liner, and Medium – have surged by 30% to 50%. These increases are compounded by rising expenditures on energy, transport, starch, inks, chemicals, and labor driven by global market realities and domestic inflation.
Because paper represents a dominant share of total production costs, manufacturers initially held prices steady in anticipation that global supply chain disruptions and commodity spikes would prove temporary. Despite implementing aggressive internal measures – such as optimizing energy use, improving machine efficiency, and reducing waste – producers can no longer absorb these cumulative cost pressures indefinitely.
The sector warns that its financial destabilization poses wider risks to Sri Lanka’s broader economy. Essential export and domestic industries, including tea, food and beverages, agriculture, apparel, and pharmaceuticals, rely heavily on reliable packaging. Unaddressed packaging cost pressures could weaken the global competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s exports against foreign rivals with access to cheaper raw materials.
Consequently, the industry is advocating for market recognition of these realities and a responsible, transparent adjustment of carton prices to restore financial viability. Industry leaders emphasize that preserving a sustainable packaging supply chain will require coordinated cooperation among paper suppliers, manufacturers, corporate customers, exporters, and national policymakers.
Sri Lanka’s food and hospitality sector is preparing for its premier trade event as the Chefs’ Guild of Lanka, in partnership with CDC Events & Travels, hosts the 23rd Culinary Art Food Expo (CAFE 2026) from 27 to 29 November at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo, followed by an awards ceremony on 30 November. Expecting over 15,000 visitors and more than 200 exhibition stalls, the showcase serves as a core platform for trade, technological integration, and industry-wide networking across the local value chain.
At the heart of the expo is an expansive international culinary competition featuring upwards of 3,000 participants, nearly 4,000 culinary entries, and a panel exceeding 40 local and international judges. Contests span live cooking, pastry, cake decoration, ice and vegetable carving, and mixology. .
The event aligns with heightened global positioning for the nation’s culinary sector, coinciding with Sri Lanka’s participation in the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg and the Chefs’ Guild’s bid to host the Worldchefs Congress in 2030.
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