Friday Sep 26, 2025
Friday Sep 26, 2025
Wednesday, 24 September 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka’s export sector continues to show strong resilience, registering over $ 11.54 billion in total exports during the first eight months of 2025, a 6.61% year-on-year (YoY) growth, alongside the strongest performance recorded for the month of August.
The latest figures, released by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), underscore a steady upward trajectory in both merchandise and services exports, despite growing competitiveness and uncertainties in the global markets.
“This encouraging growth highlights Sri Lanka’s increasing integration into global trade and the success of our continued efforts to strengthen export competitiveness, while diversifying market opportunities. Our exporters have once again proven their resilience and adaptability in navigating evolving global challenges,” EDB Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe said.
Noting that total exports exceeded $ 1.6 billion in August alone, with cumulative earnings to over $ 11.6 billion during the first eight months of 2025, he said these results reflect the strength, determination, and innovation of our exporters despite global uncertainties.
“While we celebrate this progress, we remain mindful of the challenges ahead. With sustained efforts to enhance competitiveness and expand market opportunities, we are confident of reaching the export target set for 2025,” Wijesinghe added.
August 2025 marked a notable performance, with total exports, including both merchandise and services, climbing to over $ 1.6 billion, registering a 2.57% YoY increase.
However, it shows a 2.5% decline compared to July 2025, reflecting the challenges of Sri Lanka’s export sector and the impact of uncertainties in markets and enhanced competitiveness.
This was the first time that August recorded the highest revenue during the month and the highest cumulative during the first eight months.
Merchandise exports for August 2025 reached over $ 1.29 billion—a 5.13% YoY increase, including estimated earnings from key sectors such as gems and jewellery and petroleum products.
During the period from January to August, merchandise exports for the first eight months of 2025 amounted to over $ 9.09 billion, reflecting a 6.89% growth compared to the same period last year.
Services exports in August 2025 are estimated at $ 312.75 million, down 6.82% YoY. During the first eight months of 2025, services exports reached an estimated $ 2.46 billion—a robust 5.57% increase over the same period in 2024.
The services sector, which includes ICT/BPM, construction, financial services, and transport and logistics, has not only bolstered export earnings but also contributed to the creation of high-value employment opportunities across the country.
As per the data shared by the EDB, apparel and textile exports saw a robust 6.81% YoY increase between January and July of 2025, reaching over $ 3.58 billion.
Agriculture exports also witnessed a remarkable growth during the first seven months. Tea exports, which comprised 12% of total merchandise exports, rose by 8.89% YoY to over $ 1.2 billion, whilst coconut-based exports increased by 38.05% YoY to $ 786.64 million, and spices and concentrates exports grew by 4.60% YoY to $ 286.70 million.
On the services side, transport and logistics and ICT/BPM showed positive growth during the first eight months, up by 11.94% YoY to $ 1.3 billion and 6.61% YoY to over $ 1.03 billion, respectively.
EDB Chief expressed confidence that the EDB is on track to meet its ambitious export revenue target of $ 19 billion for 2025, aiming for steady growth in both merchandise and services exports within the remaining seven months of the year.
Merchandise exports are projected to climb from $ 12.7 billion in 2024 to $ 14 billion in 2025, while services exports are expected to rise from $ 3.5 billion to $ 4.2 billion by the end of the year.
The EDB’s targets also align with a broader five-year strategy to boost total export earnings to $ 36 billion by 2030, with $ 25 billion from shipment of goods and $ 11 billion from services exports.
Among the top 10 markets, the US, Italy, the Netherlands, and France recorded YoY growth in August 2025 as well as during the cumulative period from January to August 2025.
The US, Sri Lanka’s largest single export destination accounting for 23% of the country’s merchandise exports, increased by 1.03 % to $ 304.07 million in August 2025 compared to August 2024.
Furthermore, exports to the US increased by 3.78 % over the cumulative period from January to August 2025, reaching $ 2,013.13 million.
In August 2025, exports to the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka’s second-largest export destination, decreased by 4.81% to $ 82.38 million compared to August 2024.
However, during the cumulative period from January to August 2025, India emerged as Sri Lanka’s second-largest export destination, overtaking the UK. Exports to India increased by 22.1% to $ 705.08 million compared to the same period in 2024.
In terms of exports to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners, in August 2025, exports to India and Pakistan accounted for 7.86% of total merchandise exports, registering a YoY decrease of 5.66% to $ 88.04 million, compared to August 2024.
Exports to India decreased by 5.86% primarily due to a sharp drop in pepper exports (-84.3%) Meanwhile, exports to Pakistan decreased by 3.32% mainly as a result of reduced shipments of other base metal products (-18.75%).
During the period from January to August 2025, exports to India and Pakistan accounted for 8.2% of Sri Lanka’s total merchandise exports, recording a substantial increase of 19.92% YoY to reach $ 754.85 million.
Exports to India increased significantly by 22.1% YoY, driven primarily by increased shipments of petroleum oil, animal feed and animal or vegetable fats and oils and their products.
Meanwhile, exports to Pakistan decreased by 4.21%, due to the decrease in exports of desiccated coconut and base metal products.
Regionally, exports to the European Union (EU), which account for 24% of Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports, increased during both August 2025 and the cumulative period of January to August 2025 respectively by 0.27% and 13.26%.
Exports to the top five EU markets were registered as; Germany $ 477.56 million (up by 11.06%), Italy $ 447.12 million (up by 13.0%), Netherlands $ 305.2 million (up by 20.5 %), France $ 188.1 million (up by 5.38%) and Belgium$ 165.57 million (up by 7.11%) during the cumulative period of January to August 2025 in comparison to the corresponding period in 2024.
