<h1 class="ql-align-center">Food Emergency in Sri Lanka</h1> <h2>Context:</h2> <ul><li>Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared&nbsp;Emergency regulations pertaining to the distribution of essential food items.</li></ul> <h2>About:</h2> <ul><li>The emergency was&nbsp;declared under the Public Security Ordinance on the supply of essential goods.</li></ul> <ul><li>Authorities are empowered to provide essential food items at a “concessionary rate” to the public by purchasing stocks of essential food items, including paddy, rice, and sugar, to prevent market irregularities and hoarding.</li></ul> <h2>Factors of Economic Crisis:</h2> <ul><li>Underperforming of Tourism Industry which represents over 10% of the country’s GDP.</li></ul> <ul><li>Depreciating Currency by around 8% so far this year.</li></ul> <ul><li>Rising Inflation as the price of food items has risen with the depreciating currency</li></ul> <ul><li>Diminishing Inflow of Foreign Currency because of pandemic</li></ul> <ul><li>Food Shortage due to overnight shift to organic fertilizers</li></ul>