News

Sri Lanka’s book publishing industry faces crisis as 18% VAT sparks job losses and closures

Published

3 years ago

2024/02/10

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Thousands of jobs in Sri Lanka’s book publishing industry will be lost due to the imposition of VAT (18%) on books publishers claim.They claim that about 30 percent of bookshops have been closed due to the economic crisis.

There had been no taxes on books before 01 January 2024, Sri Lanka Book Pub lish ers Asso ciation (SLBPA), President Samantha Indeewara, said.The book publishing industry was in crisis even before the imposition of VAT, he added.

“The prices of all raw materials have increased. For example, the price of paper has risen by 300 percent in the past few years.”

“Books and stationery prices will increase by more than 20 percent. The income of parents has not risen. What will they do? Children’s education will suffer.”

Indeewara said Sri Lanka imported at least 90 percent of the inputs needed to produce a book. All of them were subjected to VAT and other import duties.”However, the final product was not subjected to VAT earlier.”

Indeewara said book sales had dropped in the 1990s, with the spread of electronic media. Book publishers started the Colombo International Book Fair to reverse the trend.

“But in recent years, book sales have dropped again because of the economic crisis.

SLBPA former President Vijitha Yapa said that when Ranil Wickremesinghe was Prime Minister in 2002, he proposed a tax on books. However, the government had withdrawn the proposals due to protests from the book publishers.

“In 2016, Wickremesinghe again attempted to impose a tax on books. When Wickremesinghe came to the Colombo International Book Fair that year, as the Chief Guest, we again urged him not to impose a tax. The proposal to impose taxes on books was again withdrawn,” he said.

Yapa mentioned that in September 2023, they had heard the government was planning to impose VAT on books. The book industry representatives met the President and inquired about the possible tax.

“The President said nothing was set in stone and that we would have an opportunity to discuss the matter. He told us that the IMF wanted him to impose a tax on books.”

Despite the assurances, the book industry didn’t get an opportunity to discuss the impending taxes with the government, he said. The industry representatives wrote to the President, and his chief of staff, Sagala Ratnayake, said he would inform the President.

“Later, we were asked to talk to the IMF. Then we wrote to the IMF. It has been two months; there has not been a reply from the IMF.”

Yapa said that from what he knows, no other South Asian nation has imposed VAT on books.

“Some publishers only print about 500 copies of a book,” he added. “Earlier, we used to print thousands of copies. Prices of books are now high because we print less. There are no economies of scale. Printing books is so expensive here that people actually print books abroad and bring them here. It’s cheaper for them to pay import taxes than to print in Sri Lanka. Thousands of jobs will be lost.”

Yapa went on to say that 30 percent of bookshops have closed down already, and more shops will go out of business soon.

“We don’t know how much the government is trying to make by taxing us. We don’t know, and they won’t tell us.”

President of the Ceylon Booksellers Importers And Exporters Association, Dinushi Abeywickrama, said the text books they import for students sitting for foreign exams have tripled in price.

“Families with a few kids are seriously affected by this. Parents can’t buy. Earlier, parents used to come and buy the entire set of text books for their kids. Now they buy these books on a staggered basis. Most parents try to see if they can get the text book photocopied,” she said.

The government is violating the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials (also known as the Florence Agreement), she said.

Abeywickrama added this is a 1950 UNESCO treaty whereby states agree to not impose customs duties on certain educational, scientific, and cultural materials that are imported.

“We are a party to that agreement,” she said, adding that the President is a well-read person and that he has used the knowledge he has gained from reading to make a name for himself in the world.

“I, therefore, urge him not to deprive other people from learning and improving themselves by reading books,” she said.

All News Advertisement

News

‘Vision’ Programme Marks Two Years

Published

19 hours ago

2026/09/25

Priyan

Marking the completion of two years of the ‘Vision’ Programme, students from Pinnawala Central College and Matale Siri Seevali College were given an opportunity on Thursday (24) to visit the Presidential Secretariat.

The ‘Vision’ Programme was launched for schoolchildren jointly by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Following a visit to the former Parliament building at the Presidential Secretariat, the students were also briefed on the history of Parliament.

The role of the President’s Fund and its importance to schoolchildren were explained by Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage.

The ‘Vision’ commemorative book, featuring the two-year journey of the ‘Vision’ Programme and its special activities, was also presented to the participating schools.

As part of the programme, valuable plants were also presented to the schools as a symbolic gesture underscoring the importance of environmental conservation.

Director General of Public Relations Dharmasiri Gamage, the Director and Assistant Director of the Tri-Services Security Coordination Unit, the principals and teaching staff of Pinnawala Central College and Matale Siri Seevali College, and students were among those present on the occasion.

President’s Media Division (PMD)

News

Sajith vows to scrap 22A under future govt.

Published

20 hours ago

2026/09/25

Thilina Walpola

Sajith at yesterday’s protest

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday vowed that an SJB government would repeal the 22nd Amendment (22A) to the Constitution.Premadasa made the pledge while addressing thousands of SJB supporters who gathered near Parliament to protest against 22A.

Addressing the rally at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, Premadasa said the proposed constitutional amendment would undermine democracy and judicial independence and enable the concentration of political power in the Executive.

“Even if they pass it, under an SJB government we will scrap it,” Premadasa told the gathering, claiming that 22A was aimed at paving the way for a one-party state and placing the State under the control of a single political party.

Braving the rain, Premadasa said they had gathered there peacefully and had no intention of resorting to violence.

“We have gathered here to protect democracy,” he said, challenging the government to hold Provincial Council elections if it was confident of facing the people.

Premadasa said the SJB was prepared to work with any democratic and clean political force committed to the country’s progress and public welfare, amid ongoing discussions on cooperation among Opposition parties, including the United National Party.

Premadasa also accused groups aligned with the government of attempting to discourage people from attending the protest through statements and other measures.

SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said the protest had been organised against the proposed amendment, which the party had opposed on the grounds that it could pave the way for authoritarianism.

The demonstration began around 9 a.m. at Polduwa Junction and coincided with Parliament taking up the proposed 22nd Amendment for debate. Proceedings on the Bill are scheduled to continue today (25).

The Supreme Court has determined that the proposed amendment does not require approval at a referendum and could be passed with a special majority in Parliament.

Meanwhile, traffic congestion was reported on roads surrounding Parliament and Polduwa Junction following the demonstration.

Security was also tightened in and around the Parliamentary complex, with a heavy police presence observed at Polduwa Junction and near the main entrance to Parliament.

News

Two retired female Navy officers remanded over disappearance of two women during war

Published

20 hours ago

2026/09/25

Thilina Walpola

Two retired female Navy petty officers were ordered to be remanded until October 5 over their alleged involvement in the abduction and disappearance of two women in Trincomalee during the war.

Trincomalee Chief Magistrate M.S.M. Samsudeen yesterday ordered that the two suspects be remanded and directed that they be produced for an identification parade on October 5.

The suspects, residents of Chilaw and Haputale, were arrested after appearing before the CID in connection with another court case. They were subsequently produced before the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court.

The court was informed that the investigation concerned the alleged abduction of Sasikumar Thenmoli and Mary Delsia, residents of Paalaiyootru, Trincomalee, on or around May 13, 2008.

The CID told court that information uncovered during its investigations indicated that the two women had allegedly been detained at an underground location known as the “Gun Site” at the Trincomalee Naval Base while the two suspects were serving in the Navy. The women were subsequently reported missing.

Further investigations into the alleged abduction and disappearance of the two women are continuing.