Sri Lanka, April 30 -- The overall rate of inflation as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) rose to 5.4% on a year-on-year basis in April 2026.

The Department of Census and Statistics reported that this reflects a significant increase from the 2.2% recorded in March 2026.

The index for all items reached 201.6 in April, an increase of 5.8 index points from the previous month.

This month-on-month rise of 2.99% corresponds to an expenditure increase of Rs. 5,380.92 within the market basket.

Both food and non-food categories saw upward movements, with the food group inflation increasing to 2.8% and the non-food group climbing to 6.8%.

Within the food category, higher costs were noted for items such as coconut oil, vegetab...