A range of issues were taken up at the Export Development Board’s (EDB) 13th Exporters Forum, which looked to provide exporters with a venue to express their grievances.

Some of the issues raised included the new Inland Revenue Act (IRA), land allocation for export projects and the stifling of export development.

State Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Sujeewa Senasinghe noted that issues hindering export growth would be addressed without delay to facilitate the doubling of exports in the next couple of years.

Exporters raised concerns about the new IRA’s lack of recognition of import replacements as exports, and identified bureaucratic red tape, insufficient technology, inefficiency and lethargy by public sector officials as factors affecting export sector development.