Tea exports documentation go online
Sri Lanka's economy is in transition. The transition takes place fast
and the economy moves forward. But still we cannot be happy because we
are far behind our potential, said the Secretary to the Ministry of
Trade Dr. R. M. K. Rathnayake. He was addressing a seminar organised by
the Sri Lanka Tea Board to promote the online tea export documentation
system.
Dr. Rathnayake said trading should be fast and cost effective and
this has become a must to survive. Online documentation will apply to
all import and export business within a couple of years. Whatever new
technology we introduce the confidentiality of the information is
guaranteed and no individual information is released to others, he said.
The Sri Lanka Tea Board together with eService Lanka Limited, Sri
Lanka Customs and the BOI has initiated the online export documentation
system for tea exports. The Tea Board will now go for total online tea
export documentation.
The seminar was organised to educate tea exporters on the new online
documentation process and demonstrate the success of the process started
one year ago. Tea Commissioner N. Uyangoda said that this was introduced
to 30 tea exporters and today 10 regular tea exporters successfully use
the online documentation and gain in many ways.
Uyangoda said that there are 300 registered tea exporters in the
country but only around 50 exporters are active. The Tea Board expects
to connect all tea exporters online.
CEO of the eService Lanka Vinesh Athukorala said that with the new
online documentation system export documentation has reduced to 23
minutes.
Under the online documentation system the exporters get the online
payment gateway and lodgment number, online submission of Blend sheet to
Tea Board and acknowledgement, online approval of CUSDEC's by the Tea
Board and online registration and assessment of CUSDEC's by Customs or
the BOI.
This process reduces the documentation related lead-time and
exporters need not visit the Tea Board or the Customs. Athukorala said
that this initiative would expand to cover all import and export sectors
to make Sri Lanka a logistic hub in the region.
(GW)
|