Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 14.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Food imports in Sri Lanka, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Sri Lanka is 14.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Sri Lanka peaked at 51.8% in 1964 and was at its lowest, 11.4%, in 2012.
Sri Lanka ranks 100th 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 imports (% of merchandise imports) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 38.7% | — |
| 1963 | 43.2% | +11.6% |
| 1964 | 51.8% | +19.8% |
| 1965 | 41.4% | -20.1% |
| 1966 | 47.9% | +15.6% |
| 1967 | 45.7% | -4.6% |
| 1968 | 46.1% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 37.8% | -18.0% |
| 1970 | 47.0% | +24.2% |
| 1971 | 46.9% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 47.7% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 46.0% | -3.6% |
| 1975 | 50.5% | +9.8% |
| 1976 | 36.3% | -28.1% |
| 1977 | 39.8% | +9.8% |
| 1978 | 29.7% | -25.4% |
| 1979 | 23.3% | -21.5% |
| 1980 | 20.4% | -12.5% |
| 1981 | 19.4% | -5.1% |
| 1982 | 12.8% | -33.8% |
| 1983 | 17.2% | +33.9% |
| 1984 | 15.3% | -11.0% |
| 1985 | 20.0% | +30.6% |
| 1986 | 17.7% | -11.1% |
| 1987 | 15.6% | -12.0% |
| 1990 | 19.1% | +22.1% |
| 1991 | 17.5% | -8.4% |
| 1992 | 16.2% | -7.0% |
| 1993 | 13.9% | -14.6% |
| 1994 | 15.8% | +13.9% |
| 1999 | 15.3% | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 13.1% | -13.9% |
| 2001 | 14.2% | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 14.1% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 13.4% | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 12.1% | -10.0% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 12.3% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 11.9% | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 13.7% | +15.5% |
| 2009 | 15.7% | +14.7% |
| 2010 | 15.2% | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 12.9% | -15.5% |
| 2012 | 11.4% | -11.6% |
| 2013 | 12.0% | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 13.2% | +10.3% |
| 2015 | 13.1% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 11.9% | -9.0% |
| 2017 | 13.0% | +8.5% |
| 2019 | 11.6% | -10.1% |
| 2020 | 15.7% | +34.7% |
| 2021 | 13.4% | -14.7% |
| 2022 | 13.9% | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 15.4% | +10.5% |
| 2024 | 15.3% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 14.9% | -2.4% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 14.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.4%, 97% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 14.9% is above the median for South Asia, which is 14.0%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 44.1% | 37.8% | 51.8% | 8 |
| 1970s | 40.8% | 23.3% | 50.5% | 9 |
| 1980s | 17.3% | 12.8% | 20.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 16.3% | 13.9% | 19.1% | 6 |
| 2000s | 13.3% | 11.9% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.7% | 11.4% | 15.2% | 9 |
| 2020s | 14.8% | 13.4% | 15.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More private sector data for Sri Lanka
- Merchandise trade 32.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 63.8% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 21.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 3.35 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 29.0% (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 imports in Sri Lanka?
- Food imports in Sri Lanka was 14.9% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 51.8% in 1964.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.4% in 2012.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for food imports?
- Sri Lanka ranks 100th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. 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 imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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 imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a 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.