Sri Lanka Customs exceeded its monthly revenue target in September for the ninth consecutive month, clearing the goal before the month ended, EconomyNext reported on 1 October.
The September target was Rs. 195.6 billion. In the first 29 days of the month the agency had already collected Rs. 245.9 billion — about 26% above target.
Ahead of the annual goal
Customs has a full-year target of Rs. 2,207 billion for 2026, set 13.5% below last year’s collection because a significant decline in vehicle imports was expected.
Before the end of the ninth month it had collected Rs. 2,104.6 billion, or 95.4% of that annual figure — leaving roughly Rs. 102 billion to find across the final quarter, a sum it has exceeded in every single month of the year to date.
Last year the agency collected a record Rs. 2,551 billion, beating an upwardly revised target of Rs. 2,241 billion.
What is driving it
EconomyNext attributes the sustained overperformance to stronger enforcement, improved valuation practices and a rebound in import volumes after years of contraction. Imports fell sharply after the 2022 economic crisis, when controls were imposed to conserve foreign exchange; collections have recovered as reserves stabilised, some import controls were relaxed and consumer demand picked up.
Officials also point to tighter monitoring of under-invoicing and misdeclaration of goods.
The run continues a pattern this desk has tracked all year — Customs passed its August target four days early and crossed Rs. 2 trillion in total revenue by mid-September. It keeps the agency among the Treasury’s largest revenue sources as the government works to meet fiscal targets under the IMF-supported programme.
