TSIA asks govt. to lift restrictions on floor tile imports

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by PRIYAN DE SILVA

The Tiles and Sanitary-ware Importers Association (TSIA) recently appealed to the government to lift the import restrictions on tiles and sanitary-ware, which was imposed in 2020. The restriction was lifted in 2021, but was subsequently reimposed.

President of the Association A.M.J.A. Jawfer alleged that as a result of the import restriction, local manufacturers, who produce about 60% of Sri Lanka’s annual requirement of tiles and sanitary-ware have a 100 percent monopoly of the trade currently and their products are exorbitantly priced.

He said that at present a locally manufactured ‘A’ grade 2′ x 2′ tile was between Rs 1300/- and Rs 1700/- but If the import restriction is lifted imported 2′ x 2′ tiles of the same quality could be retailed for less that Rs 1000/- which would be a considerable saving as the cost of tiling was about 9 to 10 percent of the total construction cost.