Sri Lanka recorded its highest-ever monthly merchandise export earnings in September 2026, reaching US$ 1.37 billion, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).
In its latest External Sector Performance report, the Central Bank said merchandise exports increased by 21% compared to September 2025, surpassing the previous record of US$ 1.30 billion recorded in July 2025.
Total merchandise export earnings during the first nine months of 2026 reached US$ 10.75 billion, reflecting a 5.3% increase compared to the corresponding period last year.
Meanwhile, services exports increased by 11.2% to US$ 559 million in September, although cumulative services export earnings declined by 0.6% to US$ 5.26 billion during January–September.
Combined exports of goods and services reached US$ 1.94 billion in September, an increase of 18% compared to the same month last year.
However, despite the record export performance, Sri Lanka’s merchandise trade deficit widened to US$ 7.9 billion during the first nine months of 2026, compared to US$ 5.2 billion during the corresponding period in 2025.
The Central Bank attributed the widening cumulative trade deficit to a faster increase in import expenditure, which rose by 21.3% to US$ 18.67 billion during January–September.
Nevertheless, the monthly trade deficit narrowed to US$ 731 million in September, compared to US$ 910 million a year earlier. (Newswire)