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30% US tariff on rubber products threatens $1 b export industry
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Tyre and glove exports at risk as competitors enjoy lower tariffs
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Over 150,000 livelihoods in rural Sri Lanka could be impacted
The Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP) has called on the Government to intensify negotiations with the United States following the announcement of a 30% reciprocal tariff on Sri Lankan rubber product imports, from August 1. The announcement has triggered widespread concern among exporters and industry stakeholders.
SLAMERP Chairman Pushpika Janadheera said that exporters are already under pressure and cannot absorb a steep 30% tariff without losing ground in global markets. This tariff comes at a time when Sri Lanka is striving to revive its manufacturing sector post-crisis, leaving it especially vulnerable. Competing nations such as Malaysia, Vietnam, and India enjoy stronger global positions, bolstered by favourable trade terms and lower production costs. Without urgent intervention, Sri Lanka risks losing long-standing buyers to these more competitive markets. Sri Lanka’s tyre exports face a significant threat from the new 30% US tariff.
Vietnam currently faces only a 20% tariff, while India’s rate is yet to be finalised. “If India’s tariff is settled below ours, our tyre sector will face a serious setback,” Janadheera said.
The threat is particularly severe in the solid tyre segment, which exports over 50% of its global volume to the US. With over 80% of global demand for specialised solid and press-on tyre designs coming from the American market, a 30% tariff would severely undermine Sri Lanka’s price competitiveness, likely prompting global buyers to shift towards countries that enjoy lower tariffs.
“We are especially disadvantaged on gloves, as Malaysia and Vietnam face significantly lower tariffs of 25% and 20%,” Janadheera said.
Many of these rubber exports, including medical gloves and personal protective equipment, are essential products for healthcare, laboratories, and industrial safety and must be given special consideration in tariff negotiations. Beyond export revenues, SLAMERP underscored the broader economic consequences. Over 150,000 Sri Lankans are involved in rubber cultivation, with tens of thousands more employed directly and indirectly in the rubber manufacturing industry. “This is not only about companies. It’s about entire rural communities whose livelihoods depend on the rubber sector,” he said. Janadheera said that prolonged uncertainty caused by steep tariffs could stall future investment in the sector. “No investor will commit to an industry facing unstable and unpredictable trade conditions. We risk discouraging much-needed foreign direct investment at a time when it’s most crucial.”
“We call on the Government to recognise the seriousness of this development and begin active negotiations with US authorities,” Janadheera said adding, “This is about much more than trade. It’s about safeguarding livelihoods, protecting rural incomes, and preserving one of Sri Lanka’s most critical export sectors.”
SLAMERP represents one of the country’s most significant export sectors, which contributed USD 1 billion in export revenue in 2024, making it the third-largest export sector in Sri Lanka. Critically, one-third of this revenue comes from exports to the United States. With such a substantial share of earnings tied to the US market, the proposed tariff poses a direct threat to the sector’s stability.
