Sri Lanka’s apparel exports grew 9% in July
The Morning: Sri Lanka’s apparel exports rose by 9.84% to $ 455.16 million compared with $ 414.38 million in July 2024.
Exports to the EU (excluding the UK) posted the strongest gain of 26.69%, while shipments to “Other” markets grew by 24.24%.
The UK market saw only a marginal increase of 0.72%, and exports to the US declined by 2.7% during the month.
For the cumulative period of January-July, total apparel exports reached $ 2,916.10 million, up 9.09% from $ 2,673.19 million in the same period of 2024.
Growth was broad-based across markets, with exports to the EU (excluding the UK) rising by 18.2%, to “Other” markets by 11.02%, to the UK by 5.65%, and to the USA by 2.91%.
Commenting on the performance, a spokesperson for the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said: “The growth seen in July and over the first seven months of 2025 highlights the adaptability of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry and its firm position in key markets such as the EU. This performance reflects manufacturers’ ongoing efforts to meet buyer expectations on speed, quality, and compliance. Sustaining momentum will require expanded trade opportunities, supportive policies, and a stronger focus on value addition across the supply chain.”
OSL take:
While Sri Lanka’s exports industry is showing steady growth while also becoming a key revenue generator to the country, apparel exports provide the major portion of the revenue. The strong trade ties enjoyed by Sri Lanka with many foreign countries have also helped boost the country’s apparel exports sector as well as the overall exports industry. The growth, profits and expansion of businesses in the apparel exports sector are indicative of the growing business potential in Sri Lanka’s overall apparel industry. Many apparel sector businesses have expanded operations to foreign countries as well. While the expansion in the local apparel industry, especially in the export manufacturing, has presented many business/investment opportunities, these opportunities are also witnessed in sectors related to the industry ranging from the supply of technology as well as technical expertise and raw materials. Given all these positive factors, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s apparel industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250903/Z_4 |