Deputy Minister of Industries Chaturanga Abeysinghe has revealed that the 44% tariff imposed by the United States on Sri Lankan exports has been postponed for a period of ninety days, following a formal request made by the Sri Lankan government.
Speaking at a local government election campaign rally organized by the National People’s Power, Abeysinghe addressed recent concerns surrounding the impact of U.S. trade policy on Sri Lanka’s export-driven industries, particularly the apparel sector.
He commented on the reaction from various quarters last week, noting that some had anticipated the closure of garment factories due to the U.S. tariff announcement. “They were in high hopes last week. They got up last week with good energy. Why is that? They said that the garment factories would close this week because of the tariff imposed by America,” he said, criticizing what he described as premature pessimism.
Abeysinghe reassured the public that the government had taken timely diplomatic measures to address the issue and succeeded in securing a 90-day window to continue discussions with U.S. authorities. “They were waiting. We had made the necessary request for that. Therefore, we have 90 days to discuss it,” he added.
The temporary suspension of the tariff provides breathing room for Sri Lanka to engage in negotiations aimed at protecting key export sectors while mitigating potential economic fallout.
