FINANCIAL CHRONICLE – Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports rose 1.32 percent to 1,066.88 million dollars in February 2026 from a year ago, helped by coconut, processed foods, and electrical items, while tea, rubber, and apparel exports fell, data from the export promotion office showed.
“With strengthened policy support, enhanced value addition, and proactive market diversification, Sri Lanka is poised to build on this momentum throughout 2026, even amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and energy market volatility,” stated Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Export Development Board (EDB).
Earnings from electrical and electronic components exports rose 54.37 percent to 48.35 million dollars. Coconut-based products increased by 25.22 percent year-on-year to 104.22 million dollars, while the food and beverages sector rose 36.36 percent year-on-year to 56.22 million dollars.
In contrast, export earnings from apparel and textiles fell by 10.03 percent year-on-year to 384.44 million dollars in February 2026. This decrease was attributed to a 3.09 percent drop in exports to the United States and a 19.33 percent decline in shipments to the EU region, according to the EDB.
Tea exports also experienced a decline, falling by 3.71 percent to 114.98 million dollars, with key markets such as Russia registering a significant decline of 33.31 percent.
Export earnings from rubber and rubber-based products dropped by 5.66 percent year-on-year to 78.41 million dollars in February 2026.
The United States, accounting for approximately 22 percent of total merchandise exports, recorded a slight decline of 0.3 percent to 239.8 million dollars in February 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
India emerged as the second-largest export destination, surpassing the United Kingdom, with exports rising 16.21 percent to 192.01 million dollars in February 2026. In contrast, exports to the United Kingdom fell by 1.86 percent to 149.44 million dollars compared with February 2025.
(Colombo/Mar26/2026)
