Tea Board goes for online CUSDEC

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The Sri Lanka Tea Board will be fully automated its export procedure reducing a significant cost and bringing about operating efficiencies next year.

Chairman Sri Lanka Tea Board Lalith Hettiarachchi announced the exemption of tea board document lodgement fees of Rs 100 per Customs Declaration (CUSDEC) sheet for tea exporters who submit CUSDECs through EDI, online system with effect from November 15. eServices Lanka Ltd has provided technical support.

This process will provide reduction of documentation related lead time and eliminate the need for an exporter to visit Tea Board office for submission and verification of the Customs Declaration forms and related activities giving a number of strategic benefits from EDI online submission.

Apart from elimination of Rs. 100 fee per CUSDEC sheet, acknowledgement of online submission of blend sheet to tea board, online approval of CUSDECs and online registration and approval of CUSDECs within minutes on tea board approval are the other benefits.

CEO eServices Lanka Vinesh Athukorala said eServices started this procedure with 15 top tea export companies and it was expanded to 72 companies in August this year. It will further develop to 256 tea exporters which would save a massive amount of money while increasing productivity.

Athukorala pointed out that exporters have to pay only Rs. 250 for everything under the new system instead of Rs. 100 they paid for each sheet earlier and there had been 225 documents submitted daily.

It will be a Rs. 400 to 700 saving for an exporter in terms of document cost and transport, he said.