Pulasthi Amarasinghe
Mar 26, 2026

From Pump to Plate: Understanding Oil Price Pass-through in Post-2022 Sri Lanka

Oil price fluctuations have historically impacted the cost of goods and services across the world. As the current global markets show an increase in crude oil prices from USD 65 per barrel prior to the start of the war to USD 102 per barrel (a 59% increase) and signal further increases, Sri Lanka finds itself in a similar, or even more volatile, situation than during the oil price hikes of the Russian-Ukrainian War in 2022.

Jun 12, 2025

Recalibrating Aswesuma: A Move Towards a Dynamic and Adaptive Social Registry in Sri Lanka

  In April this year, the Cabinet approved the expansion and extension of Aswesuma. This is timely, as strengthening social protection remains a critical priority for Sri Lanka, which continues to grapple with the aftermath of its economic crisis. However, …

Nov 12, 2024

Sri Lanka’s Current Nutrition Challenges: How Can They Be Addressed?

In the face of recent crises that have undone long-term development gains, nutrition and its related health problems are major concerns for Sri Lanka. The economic downturn following the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and supply chain disruptions have exacerbated food and nutrition problems. It has led to a rise in food prices and income losses that significantly constrained the population’s ability to afford a nutritious diet. Amidst macroeconomic uncertainty, less explored approaches, such as shifting away from adverse health behaviours such as smoking and drinking, can create additional space for expenditures to shift toward nutritional needs. It provides a mechanism to improve and diversify diets without relying on significant economic structural transformations in the country. With the upcoming general elections, the voters and policymakers should understand nutritional problems in the country and recognise the crucial role of policy changes, regulations, and advocacy in overcoming nutritional challenges.