President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has personally written to United States President Donald Trump, proposing measures to mitigate the impact and reduce the recently imposed tariffs, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha Fernando announced in Parliament.
Deputy Minister Fernando stated that the White House has acknowledged receipt of the President’s letter. He emphasized that the new government is committed to narrowing the trade deficit with the United States, particularly in response to the reciprocal tariffs introduced by President Trump.
Responding to a question raised in Parliament by New Democratic Front (NDF) MP Ravi Karunanayake, Deputy Minister Fernando noted that data from the past five years shows Sri Lanka’s trade deficit with the US stands at 88 percent.
He explained that apparel, food, and three other major items make up 85 percent of Sri Lanka’s total exports to the US. These products are currently subject to tariffs and para-tariffs, and the most recent levies were calculated based on trade deficit figures between the two nations.
Defending the government’s position, Deputy Minister Fernando said that both proactive and reactive measures have been taken to cushion the adverse effects of the tariffs on Sri Lankan businesses. He further revealed that another round of discussions with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is scheduled for tonight (April 8).
The Deputy Minister added that the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States has been actively engaged in talks with the Trump administration since February of this year. Previous meetings with US officials indicated that the issue extends beyond bilateral ties and involves several other nations as well.
Deputy Minister Fernando pointed out that even countries like India have been unable to secure tariff reductions, as the US used a common formula to determine the levies. He assured that the Sri Lankan government would continue to pursue pragmatic solutions to minimize the tariffs’ impact on the local economy.
