Two of the largest export sectors in the country, businesses involved in apparel and rubber sectors have decided to grant the export proceeds to the government directly to clear the ships carrying essential commodities.
The Office of the Prime Minister said the Joint Apparel Association Forum and the Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products, have decided to directly surrender the export proceeds to the government.
The Prime Minister’s office said the two sectors that bring in over USD 6.5 billion annually have engaged its members to facilitate many transactions when requested by the government.
The office in a statement said that Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) and the Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP) have been closely engaging with the Prime Minister’s office, Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Power and Energy to help resolve the current issues relating to energy and transport sectors.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office said that they are very grateful for the industries that come forward to support the urgent needs and requested the rest of the export community to take similar initiatives at this juncture to help the people of Sri Lanka with essential imports.
The statement said that the next few months will be critical, and the government would seek more support from all export sectors, while the debt restructuring process is on-going.
