The apparel sector in Sri Lanka was able to maintain near-steady revenue in May 2025 despite a 7.59% fall in exports to the United States as uncertainty reigned over possible tariffs in connection with the changing US trade policies under the Trump administration. Exporters were able to counter the fall by redirecting their produce to other markets, the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said.
Though shipments to the UK also fell by 6.18%, sales to the European Union improved by 5.15%, while sales to other destinations increased by a whopping 11.1%. These increases managed to keep top-line monthly revenues at almost the same figure as May 2024, dropping just a paltry 0.63% from last year’s US $ 365.08 million.
JAAF said in a statement that they are heartened by the pace, especially in emerging and EU markets, attributing the industry’s ability to cope with global changes. It further added that the year-to-date performance demonstrates resilience, strategic repositioning, and greater investment in value-added products.
Between January and May 2025, Sri Lanka’s overall apparel exports rose 9.8% year-over-year to US $2.02 billion. The EU (excluding the UK) was at the forefront of the rise with 15.6% growth, followed by a 13.12% increase in shipments to non-traditional countries. Cumulative exports to the US, however, despite the May fall, were up 6.52%, while UK-bound deliveries also registered a 3.74% increase for the five months.
JAAF underscored the necessity of a stable and transparent trade policy to maintain this growth pattern, particularly as exporters carry on to face complicated global trade patterns. Discussions with American officials are underway in a bid to save Sri Lanka from tariff disadvantages against rival countries.
