Sri Lanka’s total exports surpassed US$ 5.7 billion during the first four months of 2026, recording steady growth despite challenging global economic conditions, according to the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB).

The EDB said total exports, including merchandise and services, reached US$ 5.78 billion from January to April 2026, reflecting a 4.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

In April 2026 alone, total exports amounted to US$ 1.38 billion, marking a 6% year-on-year growth.

Merchandise exports increased by 9.87% in April to US$ 1.06 billion, while services exports were estimated at US$ 317.16 million.

EDB Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe said Sri Lanka’s export sector continued to demonstrate resilience, supported by growing contributions from the services sector and sustained demand for value-added products.

“The cumulative export earnings of US$ 5,784.38 million during the first four months of 2026 underscore the stability and resilience of Sri Lanka’s export sector, despite challenging global economic conditions,” he said.

Among the strongest-performing sectors in April were coconut-based products, food and beverages, electrical and electronic components, seafood, rubber products, and ICT/BPM services.

Coconut-based exports rose by 23.49% year-on-year, driven by strong growth in activated carbon, coconut fibre products, coconut oil, and liquid coconut milk.

Electrical and electronic component exports increased sharply by 41.51%, while food and beverage exports surged by 45.17%, largely due to strong demand for processed food products.

Seafood exports also recorded a notable 13.07% increase, mainly driven by frozen fish exports.

ICT/BPM exports were estimated at US$ 146.09 million in April, while financial services exports grew significantly by 119.41%.

However, key traditional export sectors such as apparel and tea recorded declines during the month.

Apparel and textile exports fell by 4.88% to US$ 346.67 million in April, affected by reduced demand from the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom markets.

Tea export earnings also declined by 6.82% year-on-year to US$ 100.02 million due to weaker performance in bulk tea and tea packet exports, alongside lower demand from markets including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and the UAE.

The United States remained Sri Lanka’s largest export destination, accounting for around 22% of total merchandise exports, while India overtook the United Kingdom to become Sri Lanka’s second-largest export market during the January-April period.

The EDB said continued export promotion initiatives, market diversification efforts, and implementation of the National Export Development Plan are expected to further strengthen Sri Lanka’s export growth momentum in 2026. (Newswire)

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