- โAnnual dip did not stop us!โ– Rishad
- 2014 Jan-April exports at $ 3.51 Bn
- Apparel exports up by 21% to $ 1592.8 Mn
- Fisheries, industries, & apparel sustain Q1 growth trend
Despite the regular annual seasonal pullback, Sri Lankaโs January-April exports have successfully sustained its Q1 surge. โThe usual April seasonal export slowdown did not affect our exports. In fact, today we are seeing a periodic rise of 15%โ said a satisfied Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce on 29 May.
Minister Bathiudeen was meeting his top officials on 29 May in Colombo discussing the latest provisional exports details for the January-April 2014 period.
Accordingly, this yearโs January-April provisional exports surged to $ 3.518 Bn while the comparative January-April 2013 exports totals stood at $3.059 Bn, registering a 15.99% growth for 2014. This yearโs Jan-April provisional export growth is led by fisheries, agricultural and industrial exports-mirroring and sustaining this yearโs first quarter provisional export surge. Fisheries exports grew by 20% to $ 95.68 Mn, agricultural exports grew by 19% to $ 823.07 Mn and Industrial exports grew by 13.14% to a strong $ 2585.88 Mn. Within the growth of industrial exports is the apparel exports increase by 21% to $ 1592.8 Mn. Within agricultural exports sector, tea grew by 14.4% to $ 498.69 Mn, while coconut exports grew by a strong 62% to $ 162.95 Mn. Manufacturing exports which includes processed foods, leather and footwear, rubber, paper which are part of industrial exports, also increased similar to first quarter rise, growing by 14.9% to $ 766.9 Mn. January-April unclassified exports rebounded from 2013 Jan-Aprilโs $ 4.31Mn to $13.85 Mn-a 220% increase.
Leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress