Professor Perera chokes on change in food prices

Fact Check

In an interview with the Sunday Lankadeepa, Professor Aminda Methsila Perera of the University of Wayamba stated that food inflation had decreased. He explained this by claiming that food prices had fallen “compared to last month.”

To verify this claim, FactCheck.lk consulted the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) data published by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS).

While the professor provided a correct technical definition of inflation, he misapplied it to the data. His error was interpreting the reduction in the Year-on-Year (YoY) inflation rate in June compared to the YoY inflation rate in May as a reduction in prices from May to June. This is a serious error.

YoY inflation compares price levels in the current month (June 2025) to the same month in the previous year (June 2024). In May 2025, YoY food inflation was 5.2%, and in June it was 4.3%. The YoY inflation rate did decline. This decline means that only the speed at which YoY prices were increasing in 2025 was less in June than it was in May. However, prices were still increasing nevertheless—just at a slower rate—not decreasing. In fact, food prices in June 2025 were 1.8% higher than they were in May 2025.

In sum, the professor claimed the exact opposite of what actually happened to food prices between May and June 2025. He claimed that food prices had decreased, when in reality, they had increased.

Therefore, we classify the professor’s statement as FALSE.

Exhibit 1: CCPI Price  data, May–June 2024, 2025

Source: Department of Census and Statistics

*FactCheck.lk’s verdict is based on the most recent information that is publicly accessible. As with every fact check, if new information becomes available, FactCheck.lk will revisit the assessment.