Sri Lanka's garment exports rise 12.6% to $1,619 mn in Jan-Apr 2025

During the first four months of 2025, textile exports eased by 0.6 per cent to $93.8 million. Over the same period, exports of other manufactured textile articles increased by 1.5 per cent, totalling $38.5 million, as reported in the Central Bank's publication External Sector Performance – April 2025.

Combined exports of textiles, garments, and other manufactured textile articles accounted for 51.91 per cent of all industrial exports from Sri Lanka during this period. Total textile product exports amounted to $1,751.8 million between January and April 2025, while the country’s overall industrial exports were valued at $3,373.1 million for the same period.

In April 2025, textile and garment exports rose by 13.6 per cent year-on-year, reaching $365.3 million. By category, garment exports increased by 15.1 per cent to $336.1 million, while textile exports declined by 7.7 per cent to $20.5 million. During the same month, exports of other manufactured textile articles rose by 16.9 per cent to $8.6 million, as reported by the Central Bank.

On the import side, textiles and textile articles rose by 3.3 per cent to $895.2 million, while imports of clothing and accessories increased by 25.3 per cent, amounting to $88.2 million between January and April 2025. In April 2025 alone, imports of textiles and textile articles rose by 4.3 per cent to $217.3 million, while imports of clothing and accessories surged by 19 per cent year-on-year, reaching $16.1 million.

In 2024, the island nation’s garment exports totalled $4,660.1 million, marking a 4.9 per cent increase. Sri Lanka also exported textiles worth $294.5 million and other manufactured textile articles worth $106.4 million during the year. The country imported textiles and textile articles valued at $2,847.1 million and clothing and accessories worth $225.8 million in 2024.

In 2023, Sri Lanka's garment exports were valued at $4,440.6 million, a 19 per cent decrease from the $5,483.1 million exported in 2022. Meanwhile, imports of textiles and textile articles fell by 22.6 per cent to $2,371.2 million, and imports of clothing and accessories declined by 21.1 per cent to $170 million.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KUL)