Export consignments already checked by one agency are sometimes inspected again by a different agency, he told a stakeholders meeting on non-tariff measures organised by the Institute of Policy Studies, a think-tank.
A recent survey of importers and exporters found that the main non-tariff barriers they faced related mostly to certification and inspection, he said.
The survey on non-tariff measures was done by the Lanka Market Research Bureau on behalf of the International Trade Centre which helps countries like Sri Lanka to better understand the obstacles to trade experienced by businesses when complying with non-tariff measures.
NTMs are seen as increasingly becoming a major impediment to international trade and market access and the ITC aims to increase transparency and understanding about NTMs.
Some procedural delays are caused by the different requirements of different state agencies that monitor or approve shipments.
Procedural obstacles generated by the requirements of di