COLOMBO, Mar 22 (NNN-XINHUA) – Sri Lanka’s All Ceylon Mask Manufacturers Association, yesterday said, they would increase the price of face masks by 30 percent with immediate effect.
Wearing face masks in public places is mandatory under Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 guidelines, and the Ministry of Environment stated that, Sri Lankans used and disposed of about 140 million face masks in 2020.
The association’s president, Vidura Algama, said, the decision was made due to the impacts of foreign exchange rate, as the material for producing the face masks is imported.
Algama said that, the Sri Lankan rupee has devalued significantly in the last two weeks, and the prices might again increase, if the rupee continues to devalue.
Director-General of Health Services, Asela Gunawardena, said in Feb that, Sri Lankans will have to keep wearing masks in the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, yesterday said, relevant telecommunication companies have been informed, to increase the rates of all international calls, until further notice.– NNN-XINHUA
