By: Isuru Parakrama
March 02, Colombo (LNW): Unimo Enterprises Ltd, the authorised distributor for Perodua in Sri Lanka, has announced the arrival of the first shipment of vehicles to the island, following the end of a five-year import ban, Economy Next reported.
This marks a significant milestone for the local automotive industry, as the country reopens to vehicle imports after a lengthy restriction period.
The newly arrived models include the Axia G and Axia SE hatchbacks, the Bezza G sedan, and the Aruz X MPV.
Unimo has revealed that these vehicles will be available at prices starting from 8.25 million rupees, with an impressive 100,000-kilometre warranty provided for added customer reassurance.
The import ban, which had been in place since 2020, was initially introduced as part of the government’s efforts to address the economic challenges posed by inflationary pressures and foreign exchange shortages.
At that time, the Central Bank had implemented a series of measures, including rate cuts and liquidity injections, which led to a sharp decline in the country’s foreign reserves and severely restricted the ability to import goods, particularly vehicles.
However, with the easing of the financial constraints and the end of the import restrictions, the Sri Lankan government has now introduced a new tax structure for vehicle imports.
Under this revised system, import duties have been imposed, but with a notable shift: local assemblers will be able to collect a portion of the taxes that would otherwise have gone directly to the government.
This move is designed to encourage domestic vehicle assembly and strengthen local businesses while still facilitating vehicle imports.
The arrival of Perodua’s vehicles is expected to be a welcome development for Sri Lankan consumers, who have faced limited options for new vehicles over the past few years due to the import restrictions.
