Sri Lanka Customs has announced that it has earned a revenue of around Rs. 165 billion from vehicle imports alone so far this year, following the government’s decision to lift the ban on automobile imports.
Speaking at a press briefing held in Colombo, Additional Director General of Customs, Seevali Arukgoda, stated that Customs is on track to surpass its revenue target for 2025.
“The revenue target allocated to Sri Lanka Customs for 2025 is Rs. 2,115 billion. In 2024, our target was Rs. 1,533 billion, which we exceeded by generating Rs. 1,535 billion. As of mid-June this year, we have already collected Rs. 900 billion in revenue,” he said.
Arukgoda highlighted that the government permitted the import of vehicles beginning February 1, 2025. Since then, around 14,000 vehicles have been imported, contributing around Rs. 165 billion to Customs revenue. He added that the department anticipates earning Rs. 450 billion from vehicle imports by the end of the year.
In response to a question regarding the potential impact of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict on the importation of goods into Sri Lanka, Arukgoda stated that there have been no reported delays in shipping so far.
