The Government will lift the ban on tile imports when the country’s foreign exchange status improves, Money and Capital Market State Minister Ajith Nivad Cabral said.
He was responding to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in Prliament when the latter said that the country was facing a crisis due to the ban on importing tiles.
“I would like to tell the Opposition Leader that when the COVID pandemic struck, there was a huge problem with foreign exchange. They are responsible for that, but it was our Government that had to shoulder that burden,” the State Minister said.
He said hat the Government would take measures to meet the demand for tiles by the end of the next year.
The State Minister said that because of the decision made by the Government to suspend the import of goods that could be locally produced, the local tile manufacturing industry is developing. “This has attracted investors. The Government’s aim is to produce at least 50 per cent of the tile requirement locally and by the end of 2022, the Government will meet the entire tile requirement locally.
He said, however, that in the event there is a need to import tiles, the Government has established a mechanism to facilitate the import of tiles under strict standards.
