Sri Lanka's garment exports up 12% to $1,283 mn in Jan-Mar 2025

During the first quarter of 2025, textile exports rose by 1.5 per cent, totalling $73.2 million. Over the same period, exports of other manufactured textile articles declined by 2.3 per cent, amounting to $29.8 million, as reported in the Central Bank's publication External Sector Performance – March 2025.

Combined exports of textiles, garments, and other manufactured textile articles accounted for 52.77 per cent of all industrial exports from Sri Lanka during this period. Total textile product exports amounted to $1,386.6 million in January–March 2025, while the country’s overall industrial exports were valued at $2,626.9 million for the same period.

In March 2025, textile and garment exports rose by 11.7 per cent year-on-year, reaching $496.9 million. By category, garment exports increased by 12 per cent to $456.4 million, while textile exports rose by 12.2 per cent to $29.3 million. Over the same period, exports of other manufactured textile articles declined by 1.8 per cent to $11.3 million, as reported by the Central Bank.

On the import side, textiles and textile articles rose by 2.9 per cent, totalling $677.9 million, while imports of clothing and accessories increased by 26.9 per cent, amounting to $72.1 million between January and March 2025. In March 2025 alone, imports of textiles and textile articles rose by 14 per cent to $214.3 million, while imports of clothing and accessories surged by 29.7 per cent year-on-year, reaching $23.9 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 $170.0 million.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)