The temporary ban on the importation of products which was imposed amidst a foreign exchange crisis in April, was relaxed last month as the Government permitted the import of raw materials with prior approval. President’s Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera said in a letter to the Director General of the Customs Department that the importation of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and three-wheelers, was to be suspended, apart from agricultural, services, and construction-related vehicles. Vehicle Importers Association of Sri Lanka (VIASL) President Ranjan Peiris said there was sufficient imported stock of vehicles at present in the country with more cleared from the Hambantota International Port premises last month. “If the Government introduces restrictions such as a higher margin on Letters of Credit (LCs), like they had two years ago, the ban on vehicle importation could be removed. The formal vehicle trade came to a stop during the past two months due to the lockdown and we had no sales, which was immediately felt by all the association members,” Peiris noted. However, with the relaxation of curfew now announced for all districts from tomorrow (26) onwards, there would be some hope for the industry. Meanwhile, currency fluctuation and import restrictions imposed to prevent forex outflow have caused a price hike on all vehicles including small vehicles with less than 1,000 cc engine capacity, which saw a price hike of 10-15%. This price increase on new vehicles would create a good second-hand vehicle market, given the situation. Government Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that a decision would be made on allowing non-essential imports once the economy is back on track.