MASSIVE DEMAND

FOR NEW VEHICLES CONTINUES DESPITE SOARING PRICES

- By CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA

• Over 3,000 out of 5,000 recently imported vehicles already sold

• No vehicle categories have been banned, but models like the Toyota Aqua and Prius face tax and regulation hurdles

• Vehicle release from port storage now takes at least 16 days

Vehicle sellers in Sri Lanka are currently grappling with an overwhelming demand for new vehicles, despite the persistently high prices of imported units, the Vehicle Importers' Association of Sri Lanka (VIASL) President Prasad Manage said.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Manage said that a total of 5,000 vehicles have been imported into the country over the past three months, and over 3,000 of them have already been sold.