Sugar cane production in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Sugar cane production was 696,971 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
696,971 tonnes
Change on year
down 13.5%
World rank
59th
of 110 countries
All-time high
1.53 million tonnes
in 1994
All-time low
112,000 tonnes
in 1962
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Sugar cane production in Sri Lanka, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for sugar cane production in Sri Lanka is 696,971 tonnes, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 13.5% on the previous year and down 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sugar cane production in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.53 million tonnes in 1994 and was at its lowest, 112,000 tonnes, in 1962.
That places Sri Lanka 59th out of 110 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sugar cane production in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 117,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 112,000 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 1963 | 129,000 tonnes | +15.2% |
| 1964 | 155,000 tonnes | +20.2% |
| 1965 | 150,000 tonnes | -3.2% |
| 1966 | 132,000 tonnes | -12.0% |
| 1967 | 160,000 tonnes | +21.2% |
| 1968 | 135,000 tonnes | -15.6% |
| 1969 | 145,000 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1970 | 160,000 tonnes | +10.3% |
| 1971 | 200,000 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1972 | 200,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 160,000 tonnes | -20.0% |
| 1974 | 190,000 tonnes | +18.8% |
| 1975 | 265,000 tonnes | +39.5% |
| 1976 | 210,000 tonnes | -20.8% |
| 1977 | 310,000 tonnes | +47.6% |
| 1978 | 310,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 335,000 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1980 | 356,000 tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1981 | 350,000 tonnes | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 350,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 375,000 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1984 | 578,240 tonnes | +54.2% |
| 1985 | 754,100 tonnes | +30.4% |
| 1986 | 737,393 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 659,696 tonnes | -10.5% |
| 1988 | 839,000 tonnes | +27.2% |
| 1989 | 793,400 tonnes | -5.4% |
| 1990 | 820,000 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 850,824 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 731,108 tonnes | -14.1% |
| 1993 | 809,733 tonnes | +10.8% |
| 1994 | 1.53 million tonnes | +88.8% |
| 1995 | 1.27 million tonnes | -16.7% |
| 1996 | 1.45 million tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1997 | 1.38 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 946,247 tonnes | -31.5% |
| 1999 | 1.02 million tonnes | +7.9% |
| 2000 | 1.07 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 1.01 million tonnes | -5.6% |
| 2002 | 963,050 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 1.02 million tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 990,430 tonnes | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 991,550 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 1.14 million tonnes | +14.6% |
| 2007 | 782,510 tonnes | -31.2% |
| 2008 | 799,450 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 919,530 tonnes | +15.0% |
| 2010 | 914,850 tonnes | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 729,010 tonnes | -20.3% |
| 2012 | 673,470 tonnes | -7.6% |
| 2013 | 960,270 tonnes | +42.6% |
| 2014 | 960,392 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 718,685 tonnes | -25.2% |
| 2016 | 815,312 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 2017 | 654,522 tonnes | -19.7% |
| 2018 | 644,785 tonnes | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 653,053 tonnes | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 855,045 tonnes | +30.9% |
| 2021 | 825,541 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 876,660 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 2023 | 805,616 tonnes | -8.1% |
| 2024 | 696,971 tonnes | -13.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 696,971 tonnes is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.38 million tonnes, 11% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 696,971 tonnes is below the median for South Asia, which is 2.76 million tonnes, 25% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 137,222 tonnes | 112,000 tonnes | 160,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 234,000 tonnes | 160,000 tonnes | 335,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 579,283 tonnes | 350,000 tonnes | 839,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.08 million tonnes | 731,108 tonnes | 1.53 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 966,997 tonnes | 782,510 tonnes | 1.14 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 772,435 tonnes | 644,785 tonnes | 960,392 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 811,967 tonnes | 696,971 tonnes | 876,660 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sugar cane production in Sri Lanka?
- Sugar cane production in Sri Lanka was 696,971 tonnes in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sugar cane production recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1.53 million tonnes in 1994.
- What is the lowest sugar cane production recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 112,000 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for sugar cane production?
- Sri Lanka ranks 59th out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sugar cane production rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Sugar cane production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Sugar cane production is measured in tonnes.