September 03, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s renewed vehicle-import activity has delivered a major boost to government coffers, with Customs collecting Rs. 512.547 billion in taxes from 316,000 imported vehicles during the first half of 2026.
The figures were presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Ways and Means during a review of Sri Lanka Customs’ revenue performance and operational activities.
Cars made up the biggest contributor within the vehicle-import category, generating Rs. 386.726 billion in tax revenue. Among them, petrol-powered vehicles with engine capacities of less than 1,000cc produced the highest return, bringing in Rs. 137.4 billion.
Revenue from this category alone accounted for 9.96 per cent of the total income collected by Customs, highlighting the significant contribution made by smaller petrol vehicles following the resumption of imports.
Overall, Sri Lanka Customs collected Rs. 1.379 trillion between January and 30 June 2026. This was substantially above the Rs. 1.061 trillion target set for the period, with actual collections reaching around 130 per cent of the projected figure.
Customs officials told the committee that monthly revenue targets had been surpassed consistently during the year. Collections were also reported to be higher than those recorded in the corresponding months of 2025.
The parliamentary review went beyond revenue figures, with discussions also focusing on the examination of imported containers and the need to modernise Customs procedures. Officials and lawmakers considered the wider challenges facing revenue administration, as well as the use of technology to speed up operations, strengthen oversight and improve efficiency.
The strong first-half performance comes as the authorities seek to maintain higher levels of revenue collection while improving the systems used to manage the country’s expanding import activity.
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