7 April 2024 11:15 am Views - 709
Colombo, April 7 (Daily Mirror) - The cost of preparing a traditional "kevili" (sweetmeats) table for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has decreased by 2% in 2024 compared to 2023, according to an analysis published on PublicFinance.lk, Sri Lanka's leading economic insights platform managed by Verité Research.
The data reveals that ingredient costs in 2024 are 2.2 times higher than in 2019, down from a 2.3 times increase in 2023 compared to 2019.
A “kevili” table features an array of traditional Sri Lankan sweetmeats symbolising prosperity and happiness. Despite variations between households, the typical elements of a “kevili” table include milk rice, kokis, banana, aluwa, kevum, dodol, mun kevum, and butter cake.
The analysis, based on recipes from the popular YouTube channel "Ape Amma" for a household of 4-5 people, focused only on main ingredients, excluding utilities (electricity/gas) and spices. Price data was sourced from the Department of Census and Statistics, including Open Market Weekly Average Retail Prices in the Colombo District for 2019 (April Week 1), 2023 (April Week 1), and 2024 (March Week 3).