Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Food exports (% of merchandise exports) was 29.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Food exports in Sri Lanka, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2025, food exports in Sri Lanka stood at 29.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.6% on the previous year and up 13.2% 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 62nd 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 (% of merchandise 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% |
| 2025 | 29.0% | +6.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 29.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19.9%, 1.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 29.0% is above the median for South Asia, which is 20.5%, 1.4× the median. (6 countries reporting)
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 | 26.3% | 23.3% | 29.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More private sector data for Sri Lanka
- Merchandise trade 32.2% (2025)
- Food imports 14.9% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 63.8% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 21.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 3.35 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 63.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 13.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 7.05 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Sri Lanka?
- Food exports in Sri Lanka was 29.0% in 2025, 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 62nd out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. 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.