British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick and Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghevisited apparel logistics and quality assurance facilities north of Colombo to observe shipments heading to the UK under the new duty-free trade scheme, effective 1 January, 2026.

The reforms to the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) enable Sri Lankan manufacturers to source fabrics globally while retaining duty-free access to the UK market.

This is expected to increase production and boost competitiveness by over 10%, supporting export diversification and job creation across the industry.

The delegation toured facilities managed by Speedmark and Maersk, which handle quality control and logistics for UK brands like NEXT and Tesco.

Officials believe these reforms will strengthen trade relations and foster long-term growth for Sri Lanka’s apparel sector.