Customs Eyes Tech Leap as Revenue Targets Exceeded 📈

Sri Lanka Customs is accelerating its digitalisation drive to enhance transparency, curb corruption, and streamline trade facilitation. The move aims to shift from manual processes to automated workflows, reducing transaction costs for the import-export sector. • Revenue Performance April 2026: Collected Rs. 186.5 Bn in the first 27 days, exceeding the Rs. 181.3 Bn target. Year-to-Date: 39.4% of the annual Rs. 2,207 Bn target achieved within 117 days. Historical Context: 2025 saw a record Rs. 2,551 Bn (a 64.2% YoY increase). • Strategic Objectives Tech Push: Implementation of the 2024–2028 Strategic Plan focusing on real-time systems to eliminate discretionary power and bribery. Trade Efficiency: Reducing operating cycles for manufacturers and exporters to boost global competitiveness. Modernisation: Balancing border control with seamless trade flows via a dedicated digital transformation unit. • Sector Context The 2026 revenue target is set 13.5% lower than 2025, primarily due to an anticipated decline in vehicle imports. Success is currently driven by accelerated container clearance and closer collaboration with bodies like the Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA). _Note: Based on provisional data for April 2026._