Manufacturers urge consistent industrial policy for competitiveness
Sri Lanka needs a consistent industrial policy providing concessions for the manufacturing sector to become locally and globally completive by producing innovative and quality products, several domestic industry leaders emphasised.
They urged the government to clear the way towards building a broad-based export industry by introducing national industry policy soon do away with protectionism as the tax on imports is tax on exports.
Trailer
Successive previous governments have introduced industrial policies, but those were inconsistent and in every budget, taxes and Customs duties had been changed without consultations with industry stakeholders, Chairman and Managing Director of Tantri Trailers (Pvt) Ltd Athula Haputantri, told The Sunday Times Business.
However he noted that the ruling NPP has formulated an industrial policy document by appointing advisory committees consisting of 21 industrial sectors for their manifesto.
Mr. Athula Haputantri
The government is set to introduce this policy following discussions with industry stakeholders which is conducive for the manufacturing sector, he disclosed.
A Class-1 Marine Engineer by profession, Mr. Haputantri has been instrumental in driving Tantri Trailers to the forefront of Sri Lanka’s manufacturing and export sector. Under his leadership, the company has pioneered the manufacturing and export of value-added trailers, reaching over 40 countries worldwide.
Beyond trailers, Tantri has expanded into diverse areas, including telecommunications towers, tankers, construction plants, storage tanks, silos, overhead gantries, cranes, and heavy steel fabrications. It has also refurbished 300 railway coaches saving valuable foreign exchange.
No investor will invest in an industrial venture in Sri Lanka without a globally competitive national industry base and consistent national policy, he said.
Mr. Haputantri noted that his company manufactures 100 trailers per annum and 50 per cent of it for export market earning foreign exchange with 650 direct employees and 1500 indirect employees working at various sites.
Sri Lankan industrialists should focus attention on high quality standard products for the export market, he said adding that their innovations will have to cater to the needs of consumers.
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