Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti held discussions with the newly appointed Chairman and members of the Textile and Apparel Manufacturing Industry Advisory Council regarding future measures to strengthen the sector.
During the meeting, council members highlighted several key challenges faced by the industry, including land acquisition difficulties, shortages of skilled labour, policy-related issues, raw material supply problems, and export-related constraints. Industrialists also emphasized the need to implement a cess tax to protect local textile and apparel manufacturers from unfair competition.
The Minister acknowledged the importance of the sector, noting that it provides approximately 1.2 million direct employment opportunities and is the largest foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka. He assured that steps would be taken to resolve the existing issues in the sector at the earliest possible time, recognizing its critical role in the national economy.
