News

TEA shocked by 18 percent tax on vital export earner

Published

2 years ago

2023/12/23

The Tea Exporters Association (TEA) sounded an alarm in response to the impending 18 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) set to hit the tea industry from 01 January 2024.

Issuing a press release, TEA expressed serious concerns and highlighted potential disruptions to the entire tea value chain, unless a smooth operational mechanism is promptly established.

IT said: The TEA acknowledges the necessity to broaden the tax net and introduce VAT to stabilise the country’s finances. However, the Association is deeply worried about the repercussions of imposing an 18 percent VAT on a commodity primarily destined for over 90 percent export, requiring a full VAT refund to stay competitive globally. This move has raised red flags within the industry.

“”While it is understood that in order to resurrect the country’s financial stability, we have to widen the tax net and the VAT, the high VAT on a commodity, of which over 90 percent is produced and sold purely for exports, wherein all of the VAT will need to be refunded to stay competitive in the world market, the imposition of the VAT on tea has caused grave concern amongst the tea industry stakeholder,” it said.

Urging swift action, the TEA has called upon the Finance Ministry and Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to swiftly register all tea manufacturers for VAT. The Association stressed the unique nature of the tea sector, requesting special attention from the IRD. They highlighted the need for comprehensive stakeholder consultations before implementing such substantial changes, aiming to sustain the industry amid challenging global conditions.

With over 400,000 tea smallholder farmers contributing to 70 percent of tea production, 21 regional plantation companies, around 600 tea manufacturers, and more than 300 tea exporters/buyers, the tea industry’s complex network involves eight brokers conducting weekly tea auctions. However, the imminent VAT implementation poses a significant shift, requiring all 600 tea factories to register for VAT and Simplified Value Added Tax (SVAT), potentially leading to administrative hurdles and added costs.

“The last tea auction of the year concluded on December 19, 2023 and the next tea auction is scheduled for January 3, 2024. The exporters are sceptical about the ability of the tea factories getting the VAT/SVAT registration before January 1 and the fate of the first tea auction of 2024. The tea manufacturers, who are unable to get the VAT registration by January 1, will not be able to issue VAT invoices and may have to keep away from the auctions until the registrations are completed. This may have multiple effects on the tea exports, income of smallholder farmers, etc. Even foreign buyers may keep away from the tea auction temporarily, which could affect the tea prices,” the TEA statement said.

Expressing industry concerns, the TEA highlighted the potential disruption of upcoming tea auctions, impacting payments to farmers, tea exports, and the participation of foreign buyers, thus affecting tea prices.

Additionally, while the government’s gazette notification includes green leaves under VAT, the tea industry seeks assurance that this fundamental agricultural raw material might be exempt from VAT payments.

In summary, the TEA is advocating for thorough consultation, extended registration timelines, and an alternative system to ensure minimal disruption to the established tea value chain. Their primary objective remains the protection of the industry’s stability and competitiveness in the global market.

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CEYPETCO Fuel prices increased from midnight today (21)

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/21

Priyan

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (Ceypetco) has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight today (21).

Accordingly,

Auto Diesel – Rs. 382 (increased by Rs. 79)

Super Diesel – Rs. 443 (increased by Rs. 90)

Petrol 92 Octane – Rs. 398 (increased by Rs. 81)

Kerosene – Rs. 255. (increased by Rs. 60)

Petrol 95 Octane – Rs. 455 (increased by Rs. 90)

Latest News

Advisory for Severe Lightning issued for Galle, Matara, Kaluthara and Rathnapura districts

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre Issued at 12.30 p.m. 21 March 2026, valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 21 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Galle, Matara, Kaluthara and Rathnapura districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:

 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.

 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.

 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.

 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.

 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.

 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

News

Sri Lanka says it denied US request to land two aircraft at Mattala airport

Published

13 hours ago

2026/03/21

Priyan

Sri Lanka’s president says his government turned down a request from the United States to land two US combat aircraft at a civilian airport earlier this month.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Sri Lanka’s parliament on Friday that Washington had requested permission for the aircraft to land at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in southern Sri Lanka from March 4 to 8.

The request was made on February 26, two days before the US and Israel launched their military offensive against Iran.

“They wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight antiship missiles from a base in Djibouti”, Dissanayake told lawmakers. “We turned down the request to maintain Sri Lanka’s neutrality”, he added to applause.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has sparked widespread concern globally, as Iranian missile and drone attacks across the wider Middle East have sent energy prices soaring and fuelled fears of a widening conflict.

US President Donald Trump has also been pressuring Washington’s allies to show more support for the war, slamming NATO countries as “cowards” for refusing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has essentially shuttered the critical Gulf waterway amid the war, forcing leaders around the world to scramble to try to offset the effects on their economies and energy supplies.

Amid the turmoil, many countries have refused to get directly involved in the war while calling for urgent de-escalation.

On Friday, Switzerland announced that it would halt any weapons exports to the US that could be used in military operations against Iran, citing its longstanding policy of neutrality.

“The export of war materiel to countries involved ⁠in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict”, the Swiss government said.

Sri Lanka’s president also cited his country’s neutrality in the decision to deny the US request to land the two aircraft at Matalla airport earlier this month.

Dissanayake said he had received another request that same day, on February 26, from Iran to seek permission for three naval vessels to make a goodwill visit to Sri Lanka.

“With two requests before us, the decision was clear,” he said, noting that the government denied both to avoid taking sides as signs of escalating conflict emerged.

“Had we said ‘yes’ to Iran, we would have had to say ‘yes’ to the US, as well”, Dissanayake added.

In early March, Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 Iranian crew off IRIS Dena after it was torpedoed by a US submarine off the country’s coast, killing at least 84 people.

Days later, Sri Lanka evacuated more than 200 crew members from a second Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, after the ship requested assistance from Colombo.

[Aljazeera]