Garment export revenue in Sri Lanka fell 7.3% in the first four months of 2026, with April earnings also declining, Central Bank data shows.
The garment export revenue earned by Sri Lanka’s textile and apparel sector declined during the first four months of this year, according to the latest report released by the Economic Research Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
The report states that revenue from textile and garment exports fell by 7.3% to US$ 1,624.7 million during the January to April period of this year.
In comparison, textile and garment export earnings during the first four months of 2025 amounted to US$ 1,751.8 million. This means export revenue from the country’s key apparel sector has declined by 7.3% when compared with the corresponding period last year.
The Central Bank’s latest figures highlight the continuing challenges facing one of Sri Lanka’s largest foreign exchange-earning industries, which remains a critical contributor to national export earnings and employment.
The report also shows a decline in monthly performance during April.
According to the data, textile and garment export revenue in April 2026 stood at US$ 348 million, compared with US$ 365.3 million recorded in April 2025.
As a result, export earnings from the sector for the month of April registered a 4.7% decrease compared with the same month last year.
The Economic Research Department of the Central Bank noted that both the cumulative performance for the first four months of the year and the April monthly figures indicate a contraction in textile and garment export revenue when measured against 2025 levels.
The apparel sector remains one of Sri Lanka’s most important export industries, making trends in garment export revenue closely watched by policymakers, manufacturers, investors, and foreign exchange market analysts.
