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External trade – 3rd Quarter 2025​​ 

Highlights

Total Exports

Total exports (inclusive of ship's stores & bunkers) for the third quarter of 2025, were valued at Rs 26,937 million, showing a decrease of 9.0%, compared to the corresponding quarter of 2024. This was mainly explained by “Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material" (-26.3%), “Food and live animals" (-11.2%), “Miscellaneous manufactured articles" (-10.6%) and “Machinery and transport equipment" (-5.5%), partly offset by increases in the exports of “Ship's stores & bunkers" (+1.8%) and “Chemicals and related products, n.e.s" (+1.5%).

Total exports, for the third quarter of 2025 decreased by 2.8%, compared to the previous quarter.

Total Imports

Total imports, for the third quarter of 2025, amounted to Rs 74,953 million showing a decrease of 12.4%, compared to the corresponding quarter of 2024. This decline was mainly explained by “Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material" (-18.2%), “Mineral fuels, lubricants, & related products" (-16.9%), “Chemicals and related products, n.e.s." (-11.4%), “Food and live animals" (-10.8%), “Machinery & transport equipment" (-10.2%) and “Miscellaneous manufactured articles" (-9.6%), partly offset by an increase in the imports of “Beverages and tobacco" (+15.8%).

Total imports, for the third quarter of 2025 decreased by 8.5%, compared to the previous quarter.

Balance of trade

The resulting trade deficit for the third quarter of 2025 worked out to Rs 48,016 million, 11.3% lower than the deficit of Rs 54,159 million of the previous quarter and 14.2% lower than the deficit of Rs 55,956 million of the corresponding quarter of 2024.

Forecast for year 2025

Based on trends and information from various sources, the forecast of total exports for 2025 is maintained at the same level as year 2024, that is, Rs 110 billion. The total imports for 2025 will be around Rs 320 billion, 0.6% higher than the total imports of around Rs 318 billion in 2024.

The trade deficit for 2025 is forecasted at around Rs 210 billion, 1.0% higher as compared to around Rs 280 billion in 2024.

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