📰 SRI LANKA MONEY WEEKLY
Sri Lanka Money Weekly: Fish prices jump up to 33% while beans crash 27% (19–23 Oct 2026)
TL;DR: Fish got dearer across the board this week — balaya wholesale up 33%, hurulla up 27% — while beans crashed 27% and brinjal fell 22% at Pettah wholesale. The rupee eased a touch (selling Rs. 336.49), lending rates held at 11.11%, and premium petrol (Octane 95) rose Rs. 20 to Rs. 495 at Lanka IOC and Sinopec pumps. VAT is still 18% — the week’s tax story is a debate, not a decision.
| Indicator | This week | Last week | Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD/LKR (selling) | 336.49 | 335.65 | +0.25% |
| AWPR | 11.11% | 11.11% | — |
| Policy rate (OPR) | 8.75% | 8.75% | — |
| Petrol 92 (Rs./L) | 414 | 414 | — |
| Octane 95, IOC/Sinopec (Rs./L) | 495 | 475 | +Rs. 20 |
| CCPI inflation | 8.0% | 8.0% | — |
The rupee slipped, just a little. The dollar’s selling rate ended at Rs. 336.49, up Rs. 0.84 on the previous week’s Rs. 335.65. Nothing dramatic — but if you price imports or pay dollar bills, that is the direction to watch, not a reason to panic. Track it live →
Borrowing stood still. The Average Weighted Prime Lending Rate — the benchmark banks use to price loans — held at 11.11%, and the policy rate stayed at 8.75%. If you are comparing loan offers, this week changed nothing about the rate — so compare the fees and terms instead. Compare your options → Personal loan → Housing loan →
Savers: T-bills still pay around 9–10%. The 91-day bill eased to 9.24% (from 9.30%), the 1-year held at 9.95%. If a fixed-deposit renewal quote comes in well below those, it is worth a second conversation with your bank. Check your FD →
The market basket: fish up, vegetables split
Friday’s CBSL price report was a split screen. On the fish side, almost everything rose at Peliyagoda wholesale: balaya +33%, hurulla +27%, linna +17%, thalapath +11%, salaya +9%, kelawalla +8%. Only paraw stood still. On the vegetable side, beans crashed 27% at Pettah wholesale (Rs. 550 → Rs. 400/kg) and brinjal fell 22% (Rs. 450 → Rs. 350), while green chilli eased 17% — but pumpkin jumped 20% and local red onion rose 13%. Rice, the anchor of every household budget, did not move at all: samba Rs. 240/kg retail in Pettah.
| Item | Market | Wholesale now (Rs./kg) | Week move | Retail now (Rs./kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balaya | Peliyagoda | 800 | +200 (+33.3%) | 1,200 (Narahenpita) |
| Beans | Pettah | 400 | −150 (−27.3%) | 450 |
| Hurulla | Peliyagoda | 700 | +150 (+27.3%) | 1,100 (Narahenpita) |
| Brinjal | Pettah | 350 | −100 (−22.2%) | 400 |
| Pumpkin | Pettah | 300 | +50 (+20.0%) | 350 |
| Green chilli | Pettah | 250 | −50 (−16.7%) | 300 |
| Papaw | Pettah | 100 | −20 (−16.7%) | 150 |
| Linna | Peliyagoda | 700 | +100 (+16.7%) | 1,040 (Narahenpita) |
| Red onion (local) | Pettah | 452 | +52 (+13.0%) | 475 |
| Thalapath | Peliyagoda | 1,550 | +150 (+10.7%) | 2,200 (Narahenpita) |
If you run a food business, this is the week that punishes a fixed menu. When fish input costs jump a third in a week, your prices need math behind them, not gut feel. Cost your products properly → See every item’s chart →
Policy watch
VAT is still 18% — the week’s story is a debate, not a change. Business groups pressed the case this week for taking traders out of the VAT net and ending what they call double taxation (VAT 18% plus SSCL 2.5% on the same turnover). The government has not announced any change. Your invoices do not change. (General information, not tax advice — confirm with your accountant for your specific case.) Make a compliant invoice →
Premium petrol up Rs. 20 — but only Octane 95, only at two retailers. Lanka IOC and Sinopec raised Octane 95 from Rs. 475 to Rs. 495 a litre from midnight 25 October. CPC’s petrol 92, diesel and kerosene are unchanged. If you run on 95, that is roughly Rs. 20 more per litre from this week.
Electricity: two messages at once. The PUCSL’s fourth-quarter tariff consultation is live — written comments close 5 November, with an oral session at BMICH the same day — while the Energy Minister said on 23 October that losses from the recent power cut will not be passed to consumers and that there is no requirement to raise prices next quarter. Watch 5 November, not the headlines.
Also noted: the ADB approved a $100 million programme for social protection and economic opportunities in Sri Lanka, and the government tightened import regulations to shield domestic tyre manufacturers.
What to watch next week
- The next CBSL price report — does the fish rally hold, or was it a one-week supply squeeze?
- The CPC’s monthly fuel revision (~1 Nov) — does 92 follow 95?
- PUCSL tariff consultation closes 5 November
- Whether the VAT-trader debate draws any government response
Sources
- CBSL Daily Price Report, 23 October 2026 — cbsl.gov.lk price report
- CBSL Daily Economic Indicators, 22 October 2026 — cbsl.gov.lk
- PUCSL, Proposed Electricity Tariff Revision — 2026 4th Quarter — pucsl.gov.lk
- Lanka IOC Octane 95 increase, Ada Derana, 26 Oct 2026 — adaderana.lk
Prices are from the CBSL Daily Price Report, 23 Oct 2026; week moves are wholesale in the primary market. This is not financial advice.