Sri Lanka recorded a notable increase in export earnings and foreign remittances in March 2025, according to the latest data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).
Export earnings for the month reached US$ 1,242 million, marking an 8.1% increase compared to March 2024. Import expenditure also saw a similar upward trend, rising by 8.6% year-on-year to US$ 1,637 million.
A key highlight in the CBSL report is the surge in workers’ remittances, which totaled US$ 693 million in March — the highest amount ever recorded for the month of March in Sri Lanka’s history. The rise in remittances is seen as a positive sign for the country’s foreign exchange reserves and balance of payments.
Tourism also continued its recovery, with earnings reaching US$ 354 million in March and a total of 229,298 tourists arrived during the month.
However, the Central Bank noted a 2.3% depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee against the US dollar from January to the end of April 2025.
