Sri Lanka's garment exports up 4.9% to $4.6 bn in 2024

During 2024, textile exports from Sri Lanka declined by 12.9 per cent, totalling $294.5 million. During the same period, exports of other manufactured textile articles rose by 6.3 per cent, amounting to $106.4 million, as reported in the Central Bank's publication titled ‘External Sector Performance – December 2024’.

The combined exports of textiles, garments, and other manufactured textile articles accounted for 50.88 per cent of all industrial exports from Sri Lanka during this period. Total textile product exports amounted to $5,061.0 million in 2024, while Sri Lanka's overall industrial exports were valued at $9,946.9 million for the same period.

In December 2024, textile and garment exports rose by 1.7 per cent year-on-year, reaching $447.6 million. By category, garment exports saw an increase of 2.0 per cent, totalling $415.8 million, while textile exports declined by 3.6 per cent to $23.0 million. Exports of other manufactured textile articles increased by 4.6 per cent, reaching $8.8 million.

Regarding imports, textiles and textile articles saw a 20.1 per cent rise, totalling $2,847.1 million, while imports of clothing and accessories increased by 32.9 per cent, amounting to $225.8 million in 2024. In December 2024 alone, imports of textiles and textile articles rose by 37.9 per cent to $252.6 million, while imports of clothing and accessories surged by 66.0 per cent year-on-year, reaching $25.0 million.

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 dropped by 22.6 per cent to $2,371.2 million, and imports of clothing and accessories declined by 21.1 per cent, totalling $170.0 million in 2023.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KUL)