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New Year “Kevili” Table Costs 7 Percent More in 2025
The cost of preparing a traditional kevili table for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has risen by 7 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year. It remains more than twice as expensive as in 2019. A kevili table, a customary feature during New Year celebrations in Sri Lanka, includes an assortment of traditional sweetmeats symbolising prosperity and happiness. Prices increased for five out of the eight key items in 2025. Notably, the cost of milk rice rose by 57 percent and kokis by 35 percent – both of which rely heavily on coconut and coconut oil. The overall increase in kevili table prices was primarily driven by a surge in coconut prices. The price of coconuts rose by 80 percent year-on-year, while coconut oil increased by 40 percent. In contrast, the prices of most other ingredients either declined or remained stable. Furthermore, compared to 2019, the cost of a kevili table has more than doubled—rising by 2.4 times in 2025, up from 2.2 times in 2024 (See Exhibit 1 ) . Exhibit 1: Change in Kevili item prices over time (prices in LKR) Cost of ingredients in preparing April 2019 April 2023 March 2024 March 2025 Kokis (20 pcs) 232 529 457 618 Banana (1kg) 93 283 212 198 Milk Rice (10 pcs) 72 163 165 258 Aluwa (15 pcs) 124 258 295 249 Butter Cake (1kg) 370 935 842 754 Kavum (20 pcs) 723 1483 1569 1668 Dodol (1kg) 452 976 1001 1137 Mun Kavum (15 pcs) 221 546 529 531 Total cost of ingredients 2,288 5,172 5,069 5,414
Featured Insight
New Year “Kevili” Table Costs 7 Percent More in 2025
The cost of preparing a traditional kevili table for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has risen by 7 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year. It remains more than twice as expensive as in 2019. A kevili table, a customary feature during New Year celebrations in Sri Lanka, includes an assortment of traditional sweetmeats symbolising prosperity and happiness. Prices increased for five out of the eight key items in 2025. Notably, the cost of milk rice rose by 57 percent and kokis by 35 percent – both of which rely heavily on coconut and coconut oil. The overall increase in kevili table prices was primarily driven by a surge in coconut prices. The price of coconuts rose by 80 percent year-on-year, while coconut oil increased by 40 percent. In contrast, the prices of most other ingredients either declined or remained stable. Furthermore, compared to 2019, the cost of a kevili table has more than doubled—rising by 2.4 times in 2025, up from 2.2 times in 2024 (See Exhibit 1 ) . Exhibit 1: Change in Kevili item prices over time (prices in LKR) Cost of ingredients in preparing April 2019 April 2023 March 2024 March 2025 Kokis (20 pcs) 232 529 457 618 Banana (1kg) 93 283 212 198 Milk Rice (10 pcs) 72 163 165 258 Aluwa (15 pcs) 124 258 295 249 Butter Cake (1kg) 370 935 842 754 Kavum (20 pcs) 723 1483 1569 1668 Dodol (1kg) 452 976 1001 1137 Mun Kavum (15 pcs) 221 546 529 531 Total cost of ingredients 2,288 5,172 5,069 5,414
Featured Insight
New Year “Kevili” Table Costs 7 Percent More in 2025
The cost of preparing a traditional kevili table for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has risen by 7 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year. It remains more than twice as expensive as in 2019. A kevili table, a customary feature during New Year celebrations in Sri Lanka, includes an assortment of traditional sweetmeats symbolising prosperity and happiness. Prices increased for five out of the eight key items in 2025. Notably, the cost of milk rice rose by 57 percent and kokis by 35 percent – both of which rely heavily on coconut and coconut oil. The overall increase in kevili table prices was primarily driven by a surge in coconut prices. The price of coconuts rose by 80 percent year-on-year, while coconut oil increased by 40 percent. In contrast, the prices of most other ingredients either declined or remained stable. Furthermore, compared to 2019, the cost of a kevili table has more than doubled—rising by 2.4 times in 2025, up from 2.2 times in 2024 (See Exhibit 1 ) . Exhibit 1: Change in Kevili item prices over time (prices in LKR) Cost of ingredients in preparing April 2019 April 2023 March 2024 March 2025 Kokis (20 pcs) 232 529 457 618 Banana (1kg) 93 283 212 198 Milk Rice (10 pcs) 72 163 165 258 Aluwa (15 pcs) 124 258 295 249 Butter Cake (1kg) 370 935 842 754 Kavum (20 pcs) 723 1483 1569 1668 Dodol (1kg) 452 976 1001 1137 Mun Kavum (15 pcs) 221 546 529 531 Total cost of ingredients 2,288 5,172 5,069 5,414
Featured Insight
New Year “Kevili” Table Costs 7 Percent More in 2025
The cost of preparing a traditional kevili table for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has risen by 7 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year. It remains more than twice as expensive as in 2019. A kevili table, a customary feature during New Year celebrations in Sri Lanka, includes an assortment of traditional sweetmeats symbolising prosperity and happiness. Prices increased for five out of the eight key items in 2025. Notably, the cost of milk rice rose by 57 percent and kokis by 35 percent – both of which rely heavily on coconut and coconut oil. The overall increase in kevili table prices was primarily driven by a surge in coconut prices. The price of coconuts rose by 80 percent year-on-year, while coconut oil increased by 40 percent. In contrast, the prices of most other ingredients either declined or remained stable. Furthermore, compared to 2019, the cost of a kevili table has more than doubled—rising by 2.4 times in 2025, up from 2.2 times in 2024 (See Exhibit 1 ) . Exhibit 1: Change in Kevili item prices over time (prices in LKR) Cost of ingredients in preparing April 2019 April 2023 March 2024 March 2025 Kokis (20 pcs) 232 529 457 618 Banana (1kg) 93 283 212 198 Milk Rice (10 pcs) 72 163 165 258 Aluwa (15 pcs) 124 258 295 249 Butter Cake (1kg) 370 935 842 754 Kavum (20 pcs) 723 1483 1569 1668 Dodol (1kg) 452 976 1001 1137 Mun Kavum (15 pcs) 221 546 529 531 Total cost of ingredients 2,288 5,172 5,069 5,414
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The Problem with Procurement
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Composition of Sri Lanka's Gross Official Reserves
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