Sri Lankans bracing for another fuel price hike may get some relief tonight, as the government prepares to soften the blow with a fresh subsidy on diesel.Minister of Energy Anura Karunathilaka confirmed today that the October fuel price revision will be announced tonight (30), in line with the government’s usual practice of revising prices on the final day of each month.
Speaking at a media briefing, the Minister revealed that the upcoming revision will come with a subsidy of Rs. 70 per litre of diesel — a move aimed at absorbing some of the pressure building up in the global fuel market.
That pressure, according to Karunathilaka, is being felt sharply by fuel distributors across the country. Companies operating in Sri Lanka have flagged mounting losses tied to the surge in global fuel prices, with per-litre losses on diesel reportedly ranging anywhere from Rs. 120 to as high as Rs. 247, depending on the distributor.
The state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is shouldering much of this burden, the Minister noted, as it continues to fund the subsidy scheme. He added that the government is actively working to ensure the CPC doesn’t end the year in the red despite the added financial strain.
One detail worth noting for motorists hoping for similar relief at the petrol pump: the subsidy will apply exclusively to diesel. Petrol prices, Karunathilaka confirmed, will not receive the same cushion.
The announcement comes as part of a broader Rs. 40.65 billion, three-month relief package — with Rs. 15 billion earmarked for October alone, followed by Rs. 13.5 billion in November and Rs. 12.15 billion in December — as the government works to shield consumers from the fallout of the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has driven global oil prices sharply higher throughout 2026.