Friday Oct 24, 2025
Friday Oct 24, 2025
Friday, 24 October 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka’s export sector continues to demonstrate resilience and steady growth during the period of January to September of 2025, recording total earnings of nearly $ 13 billion, up 7% from a year ago, latest data from the Export Development Board (EDB) showed.
In September 2025 alone, total exports, comprising both merchandise and services reached to $ 1.47 billion, a 12.33% growth from a year earlier.
This performance highlights the strength of Sri Lanka’s export sector and the effectiveness of the strategies implemented to expand market access and enhance global competitiveness.
EDB Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe said: “This encouraging growth reflects Sri Lanka’s deepening integration into global trade and the success of our continued efforts to enhance export competitiveness and diversify market opportunities. Our exporters have once again demonstrated remarkable resilience and innovation in navigating evolving global challenges.”
“Exceeding $ 12.9 billion in cumulative export earnings by September 2025 is an evidence to the strength and determination of our export community. With over 72% of our annual export target already achieved by the end of the third quarter, we remain confident that, through sustained collaboration and strategic action, Sri Lanka will successfully reach its 2025 export target,” he added.
In September 2025 alone, merchandise exports grew by 15.02% year-on-year (YoY), reaching $ 1.16 billion according to provisional data of Sri Lanka Customs including the estimates for Gems and Jewellery and Petroleum Products.
For the period January to September 2025, merchandise exports totalled $ 10.2 billion, up 7.59% YoY.
Meanwhile, services exports have emerged as a key driver of overall export growth. In September 2025, earnings from services exports was estimated to be $ 306 million.
Over the first three quarters of the year, services exports are estimated to have increased by 4.48% YoY, totalling $ 2.7 billion. This trend highlights the rising importance of Sri Lanka’s knowledge-based economy and its growing contribution to national export earnings.
The services export sector, comprising ICT/BPM, Construction, Financial services, and Transport and Logistics, continues to diversify Sri Lanka’s export portfolio and create high-value employment opportunities across the island.
Sri Lanka’s export portfolio recorded broad-based growth across key product and service categories in September 2025, supported by stronger global demand, higher value addition, and diversified market access.
Export earnings from apparel and textiles increased by 1.53% year-on-year to $ 425.07 million, reflecting continued recovery in traditional markets.
Tea exports, accounting for 12.8% of merchandise exports, grew by 17.06% to $ 137 million, driven by stronger sales of tea packets (11.58%), bulk tea (19.36%), and instant tea (70.44%). Export volumes rose by 20.11%, with shipments to Iraq, Turkey, and Libya recording significant gains of 28.86%, 122.6%, and 12.5% respectively.
Coconut-based products recorded a notable 72.03% increase compared to September 2024, with kernel products up 100.34%, fibre products up 44.43%, and shell-based products up 33.7%.
Earnings from coconut oil, milk powder, cream, and liquid coconut milk rose between 92% and 168%, reflecting robust global demand. Coco peat and related fiber products grew by 44.17% to $ 23.99 million, while activated carbon rose by 33.64% to $ 17.6 million.
Food and beverages exports increased by 50.11% to $ 49.85 million, led by processed foods (71.97%), while seafood earnings surged 53.07% to $ 22.7 million, driven by strong exports of fresh and frozen fish.
The gems and jewellery sector saw a 76.95% rise to $ 43.53 million, and electrical and electronic components grew by 29.5% to $ 36.39 million. ICT/BPM exports were estimated to increase by 27.05% to $ 157.76 million.
Earnings from rubber and rubber products fell by 6.55% to $ 74.29 million, reflecting weaker tyre exports. Spices and essential oils declined 10.18% to $ 43.15 million due to reduced pepper shipments to India. Transport and logistics exports dropped by 14.95% to $ 128.44 million.
From January to September 2025, cumulative export earnings totaled $ 12.99 billion, a 6.92% increase year-on-year. Merchandise exports rose 7.59% to $ 10.24 billion, while services exports increased 4.49% to $ 2.75 billion.
Apparel, tea, coconut products, spices, and food and beverages led overall growth. Apparel exports increased by 6.22% to $ 4.01 billion, with shipments to the United States, United Kingdom, and EU rising 2.03%, 2.47%, and 14.08% respectively.
Tea exports rose 9.8% to $ 1.16 billion, and coconut products increased sharply by 41.83% to $ 909.09 million, supported by strong sales of coconut oil, desiccated coconut, milk powder, cream, and activated carbon.
Spices exports increased 2.41% to $ 329.84 million, and food and beverages rose 24.75% to $ 435.31 million. Seafood exports were up 2.89% to $ 184.56 million, and electrical and electronic components grew 1.77% to $ 315.96 million.
ICT/BPM exports climbed 9.27% to $ 1.2 billion, while logistics and transport services increased 6.67% to $ 1.4 billion.
In contrast, rubber and rubber-based exports declined 5.97% to $ 713.62 million, and ornamental fish exports fell 3.96% to $ 17.97 million.
Among top markets, India, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UAE, Canada, France, and China recorded growth during both September and the cumulative period.
Exports to the United States fell 2.84% in September to $ 238.72 million but increased 3.04% year-to-date to $ 2.25 billion. Exports to India grew 31.7% in September and 23.09% in the first nine months, while shipments to the UK fell 4.75% in September but rose 4.4% cumulatively.
Exports to India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka’s FTA partners, accounted for 7.86% of total merchandise exports in September, increasing 29.36% year-on-year to $ 93.5 million. For the January–September period, exports to these markets rose 20.89% to $ 848.35 million, driven by petroleum, animal feed, and vegetable oil products.
Regionally, exports to the European Union, which represents nearly a quarter of total exports, grew by 26.48% in September and 14.66% cumulatively.
Key markets included Germany ($ 535.94 million, +12.28%), Italy ($ 506.77 million, +14.68%), the Netherlands ($ 346.66 million, +21.39%), France ($ 212.69 million, +6.75%), and Belgium ($ 187.5 million, +7.71%).
