The Special Commodity Levy on imported sprats and Maldive fish falls to Rs 10 a kilogram from Friday, 13 November, while the levy on imported sugar rises by Rs 10 a kilogram, under revisions announced in the 2027 Budget.
The changes take effect the day after the speech, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament on Thursday.
| Item | Present levy | Revised levy |
|---|---|---|
| Sprats | Rs 100/kg | Rs 10/kg |
| Maldive fish | Rs 302/kg | Rs 10/kg |
| Dried chillies (powdered and whole) | — | Cut by Rs 50/kg |
| Imported sugar | — | Raised by Rs 10/kg |
“We propose to reduce the Special Commodity Levy to ease the cost-of-living pressure faced by consumers due to rising prices of essential food items,” the President said, according to EconomyNext.
On sugar he said: “To protect the local sugar industry and reduce the tax gap with imported sugar, we propose increasing the levy on imported sugar by 10 rupees a kilogram.” Lanka Business Online describes the same measure as expected both to shore up state revenue and to support local sugarcane producers.
A net revenue gain, not a giveaway
Although three of the four changes are cuts, the package raises money. Budget estimates show the combined Special Commodity Levy revisions produce a net annual revenue gain of Rs 950 million once the higher sugar levy is counted, EconomyNext reported. The budget’s revenue impact summary lists November 2026 as the effective start for the revisions — this year, not next.
That Rs 950 million is the single revenue-positive line in a tax package that otherwise costs the Treasury Rs 28.4 billion next year, as set out in this desk’s report on the income tax changes.
What changes at the shop
Importers and wholesale traders must clear consignments under the revised rates from Friday, Lanka Business Online reported, with retail price adjustments expected over the following days. Sprats, Maldive fish and dried chillies are staples of everyday Sri Lankan cooking, and sprats in particular are a principal source of protein in lower-income households.
The relief comes as consumers face renewed price pressure. Annual inflation rose to 8.3 per cent by October 2026, following higher fuel costs linked to conflict in West Asia.
Sourcing note
Two verified newsrooms have filed on the measure and agree on the direction, the items and the 13 November effective date. The per-kilogram figures for sprats and Maldive fish are EconomyNext’s; Lanka Business Online states only that both fall to a flat Rs 10 a kilogram, which is consistent.
Not reported
Neither filing estimates how far retail prices should fall, says whether the reduced rates are time-limited, or gives the current retail price of any of the four items. Nor does either explain how a package of three cuts and one increase nets out to a revenue gain — that is, how much sugar Sri Lanka imports relative to the other three items.