Sri Lanka’s trade deficit narrowed to $654.6 million in January 2026, the smallest trade deficit in five months and down from $733 million in the same month a year earlier, as export growth outpaced the increase in imports. Goods exports rose 9.11% year-on-year to $1,148.7 million, driven by broad-based gains across most product categories. Mining products surged 393.95%, led by higher shipments of ores, slag and ash. Agricultural exports increased 18.85%, particularly unmanufactured tobacco, while industrial product exports grew 5.9%. Meanwhile, goods imports rose slightly by 0.99% year-on-year to $1,803.3 million. Consumer goods imports jumped 24.92%, mainly reflecting higher purchases of personal vehicles, which totaled $224 million, including both personal and commercial vehicles. Investment goods imports also rose 15.42%. These increases were partially offset by a decline in imports of intermediate goods of 11.92%. source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka recorded a trade deficit of 654.60 USD Million in January of 2026. Balance of Trade in Sri Lanka averaged -511.26 USD Million from 2002 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 110.30 USD Million in August of 2002 and a record low of -1100.65 USD Million in November of 2011. This page provides the latest reported value for - Sri Lanka Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Sri Lanka Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on March of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-01-30 12:00 PM
Balance of Trade
Dec $-997.2M $-731M
2026-02-27 05:00 PM
Balance of Trade
Jan $-654.6M $-997.2M $-850.0M
2026-03-27 08:00 PM
Balance of Trade
Feb $-654.6M $-870.0M


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade -654.60 -997.20 USD Million Jan 2026
Current Account 399.60 469.22 USD Million Sep 2025
Current Account to GDP 1.20 1.70 percent of GDP Dec 2024
Exports 1148.70 1158.00 USD Million Jan 2026
External Debt 56386.99 55904.49 USD Million Sep 2025
Foreign Direct Investment 241.20 183.60 USD Million Sep 2025
Imports 1803.30 2155.20 USD Million Jan 2026
Remittances 879.10 673.40 USD Million Dec 2025
Terms of Trade 80.48 90.25 points Dec 2025
Tourism Revenues 378.30 308.60 USD Million Jan 2026


Sri Lanka Balance of Trade
Sri Lanka exports mostly textiles and garments (40% of total exports) and tea (17%). Others include: spices, gems, coconut products, rubber and fish. Main export partners are United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and Italy. Sri Lanka imports petroleum, textile fabrics, foodstuffes and machinery and transportation equipment. Main import partners are India, China, Iran and Singapore.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-654.60 -997.20 110.30 -1100.65 2002 - 2026 USD Million Monthly

News Stream
Sri Lanka Trade Deficit Narrows in January
Sri Lanka’s trade deficit narrowed to $654.6 million in January 2026, the smallest trade deficit in five months and down from $733 million in the same month a year earlier, as export growth outpaced the increase in imports. Goods exports rose 9.11% year-on-year to $1,148.7 million, driven by broad-based gains across most product categories. Mining products surged 393.95%, led by higher shipments of ores, slag and ash. Agricultural exports increased 18.85%, particularly unmanufactured tobacco, while industrial product exports grew 5.9%. Meanwhile, goods imports rose slightly by 0.99% year-on-year to $1,803.3 million. Consumer goods imports jumped 24.92%, mainly reflecting higher purchases of personal vehicles, which totaled $224 million, including both personal and commercial vehicles. Investment goods imports also rose 15.42%. These increases were partially offset by a decline in imports of intermediate goods of 11.92%.
2026-02-27
Sri Lanka Trade Deficit Widens in December
Sri Lanka’s trade deficit widened to $997.2 million in December 2025 from $822.7 million a year earlier, as imports continued to outpace exports. Goods imports rose 12% year on year to $2,155.2 million, driven in part by vehicle purchases. Vehicle imports, including personal and commercial vehicles, totaled $301 million in December, bringing cumulative vehicle imports in 2025 to $2,047 million. Meanwhile, exports increased 5.1% year on year to $1,158 million. For 2025 as a whole, the cumulative trade deficit widened to about $7.9 billion compared with 2024, despite export earnings reaching a historically high level. The United States, India, and the United Kingdom remained Sri Lanka’s main export destinations, while China, India, and the United Arab Emirates were the leading sources of imports.
2026-01-30
Sri Lanka Trade Deficit Widens in November
Sri Lanka’s trade deficit widened to $731 million in November 2025 from $502.2 million a year earlier. Imports rose to $1.78 billion from $1.50 billion in November 2024, while exports increased to $1.05 billion from $994.1 million over the same period.
2025-12-31