Sri Lanka merchandise exports up 6.7-pct to US$11bn in 2014

Feb 10, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s annual provisional merchandise exports increased by 6.67 percent to 11.079 billion rupees, Export Development board of Sri Lanka (EDB) said in a statement. Fisheries for the month of December 2014 up by 7.8 percent to 22.83 million rupees. Declines experienced by coconuts by eight percent to 40 million dollars and diamonds, gems and jewellery by 11 percent to 25 million dollars, data showed.

These provisional numbers do not yet reflect the service exports values and therefore, actual exports values are expected to be much higher.

Apparels earned 4.9 billion dollars up by 9.26 percent in 2014, industrial products at 8 billion rupees increased by 6.1 percent, tea at 1.6 billion up by 5.43 percent and agriculture products at 2.7 billion US rising by 9 percent, data released by EDB showed.

Manufactured products at 2.4 billion US dollars up by 9 percent. Coconut exports up by 49 percent to 538 million dollars while fisheries increased by 8.5 percent to 265 million dollars.

Natural rubber declined by 36 percent to 46 million dollars and other export crops dropped by a mere 3 percent to 506 million dollars. Diamonds and gems too experience