Sri Lanka’s vegetable import bill has surged dramatically in the first quarter of 2025, with the Central Bank revealing that a staggering Rs. 37,513 million was spent on importing vegetables in just the first three months of the year.
This marks a 16.9% increase compared to the same period last year, when Rs. 32,093 million was spent during January to March 2024. The data points to a concerning trend for the island nation’s food security and foreign reserves.
The month of March 2025 alone saw Rs. 13,223 million shelled out for vegetable imports, up from Rs. 12,182 million in March 2024 a clear indication that dependency is growing, not shrinking.
Experts warn that the rising import bill is not just an economic red flag but also a public health concern. With more funds being diverted to food imports, authorities stress the urgent need to boost domestic agriculture and curb preventable hospital admissions by promoting healthier eating and better self-care.
“There is a limit to what hospitals can do,” one official commented. “We need to shift the focus from treatment to prevention and that includes reducing our dependency on imported food, which is often heavily processed or chemically preserved.”
As vegetable imports continue to climb, the government faces growing pressure to take bold steps to protect local farmers, reduce foreign exchange outflows, and promote national food sovereignty.
