Sri Lanka's Major Imports by Category & Partner

What Sri Lanka Buys from Abroad

Top Import Categories (2020–2022)

• Machinery & Equipment: Industrial, electrical, transport
• Chemical Products: Fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, plastics
• Textile Fabrics: For garment export industry (yarn, synthetic fibers)
• Food & Live Animals: Wheat, sugar, dairy, lentils, fish
• Mineral Products: Crude oil, refined petroleum, coal
• Vehicles: Motorcycles, cars, trucks (largely from India, Japan)
• Plastics & Articles: Packaging, raw materials

Top Import Partners

Structural Context

• Import-dependent economy (energy, food, intermediate goods)
• Garment exports (40% of merchandise exports) drive textile/machinery imports
• Foreign exchange shortages (2022 crisis) led to import restrictions, licensing
• India consistently #1 (proximity, credit lines, diverse supply)