Food exports in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Food exports was 27.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Food exports in Sri Lanka, 1962–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2024, food exports in Sri Lanka stood at 27.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.0% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Sri Lanka peaked at 80.6% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 20.3%, in 2000.
Sri Lanka ranks 64th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Food exports in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 79.7% | — |
| 1963 | 80.6% | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 79.2% | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 80.0% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 75.8% | -5.2% |
| 1967 | 78.2% | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 78.6% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 72.1% | -8.2% |
| 1970 | 72.6% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 77.3% | +6.5% |
| 1972 | 76.0% | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 56.8% | -25.3% |
| 1975 | 63.8% | +12.4% |
| 1976 | 58.5% | -8.4% |
| 1977 | 65.2% | +11.5% |
| 1978 | 63.7% | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 54.3% | -14.9% |
| 1980 | 47.0% | -13.4% |
| 1981 | 47.5% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 46.0% | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 47.1% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 52.8% | +12.2% |
| 1985 | 47.4% | -10.2% |
| 1986 | 39.4% | -16.9% |
| 1987 | 36.6% | -7.1% |
| 1990 | 34.2% | -6.5% |
| 1991 | 29.9% | -12.7% |
| 1992 | 22.5% | -24.8% |
| 1993 | 22.0% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 21.2% | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 21.1% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 20.3% | -4.1% |
| 2001 | 21.2% | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 21.0% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 21.0% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 20.6% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | +7.8% |
| 2006 | 22.4% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 24.0% | +7.1% |
| 2008 | 25.4% | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 26.4% | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 26.9% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 25.7% | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 26.4% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 26.5% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 26.4% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 25.7% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 25.1% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 26.1% | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 23.7% | -9.1% |
| 2020 | 26.6% | +12.1% |
| 2021 | 25.6% | -3.6% |
| 2022 | 23.3% | -9.3% |
| 2023 | 25.7% | +10.5% |
| 2024 | 27.3% | +6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 78.0% | 72.1% | 80.6% | 8 |
| 1970s | 65.4% | 54.3% | 77.3% | 9 |
| 1980s | 45.5% | 36.6% | 52.8% | 8 |
| 1990s | 25.2% | 21.1% | 34.2% | 6 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 20.3% | 26.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.8% | 23.7% | 26.9% | 9 |
| 2020s | 25.7% | 23.3% | 27.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More private sector data for Sri Lanka
- Merchandise trade 32.2% (2025)
- Food imports 15.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 59.7% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 66.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 13.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 624.24 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1248 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 987.31 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Sri Lanka?
- Food exports in Sri Lanka was 27.3% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 80.6% in 1963.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.3% in 2000.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for food exports?
- Sri Lanka ranks 64th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Food exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Food comprises the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 0 (food and live animals), 1 (beverages and tobacco), and 4 (animal and vegetable oils and fats) and division 22 (oil seeds, oil nuts, and oil kernels). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.