ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports rose 15.02 percent to 1,163.66 million dollars in September 2025 from a year ago, helped by tea, coconut and apparel exports, data from the export promotion office showed.
Merchandise exports for January to September 2025 rose 7.59 percent, compared to the same period in 2024, to 10,240.52 million dollars.
“Exceeding US$ 12.9 billion in cumulative export earnings by September 2025 is an evidence to the strength and determination of our export community, Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Export Development Board (EDB),” said.
“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.”
Export earnings from apparel and textiles increased by a marginal 1.53 percent y-o-y to 425.07 million dollars, amidst US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs.
Earnings from tea increased 17.06 percent to 137 million dollars in September 2025 compared to September 2024.
Tea exports to Iraq, Turkey and Libya increased by 28.86 percent, 122.6 percent, and 12.5 percent respectively.
Export earnings from coconut-based products increased 72.03 percent in September 2025 compared to the same month in 2024.
Earnings from rubber-based products declined 6.55 percent to 74.29 million, spices and essential oils decreased by 10.18 percent to 43.15 million dollars, and boat building decreased 96.43 percent to 0.03 million dollars, in September 2025 compared to September 2024.
The United States, Sri Lanka’s largest single export destination accounting for 23 percent of its merchandise exports, decreased by 2.84 percent to 238.72 million dollars in September 2025 compared to September 2024. (Colombo/Oct23/2025)