There is a shortage of candles in many parts of the country. The reason for this shortage is the simultaneous creation of a huge demand for candles.
There have been reports of a power outage for several weeks and people are tempted to buy candles to cope with the power outage.
It is reported that the production of candles has also been hampered due to the strong demand. Wax production is a by-product of the crude oil refinery and wax production has been suspended due to the disruption of the Sapugaskanda oil refinery. The trade unions say that due to this the production of candles will also come to a complete standstill in the future.
A similar situation has arisen with regard to fuel in the past. Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila has repeatedly stated that there are sufficient stocks of fuel, but on several occasions, people have been queuing up to get fuel.