Sweet potato production in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Sweet potato production was 49,825 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
49,825 tonnes
Change on year
down 7.0%
World rank
58th
of 120 countries
All-time high
193,633 tonnes
in 1975
All-time low
35,607 tonnes
in 2019
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Sweet potato 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 sweet potato production in Sri Lanka is 49,825 tonnes, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 7.0% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sweet potato production in Sri Lanka peaked at 193,633 tonnes in 1975 and was at its lowest, 35,607 tonnes, in 2019.
That places Sri Lanka 58th out of 120 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.
Sweet potato production in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 58,323 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 42,874 tonnes | -26.5% |
| 1963 | 51,930 tonnes | +21.1% |
| 1964 | 68,074 tonnes | +31.1% |
| 1965 | 50,978 tonnes | -25.1% |
| 1966 | 63,149 tonnes | +23.9% |
| 1967 | 73,437 tonnes | +16.3% |
| 1968 | 76,135 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 66,209 tonnes | -13.0% |
| 1970 | 72,163 tonnes | +9.0% |
| 1971 | 57,374 tonnes | -20.5% |
| 1972 | 56,196 tonnes | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 91,379 tonnes | +62.6% |
| 1974 | 157,137 tonnes | +72.0% |
| 1975 | 193,633 tonnes | +23.2% |
| 1976 | 186,429 tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1977 | 127,640 tonnes | -31.5% |
| 1978 | 133,226 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 148,700 tonnes | +11.6% |
| 1980 | 127,427 tonnes | -14.3% |
| 1981 | 158,600 tonnes | +24.5% |
| 1982 | 152,564 tonnes | -3.8% |
| 1983 | 117,600 tonnes | -22.9% |
| 1984 | 147,000 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1985 | 117,600 tonnes | -20.0% |
| 1986 | 92,610 tonnes | -21.2% |
| 1987 | 80,431 tonnes | -13.2% |
| 1988 | 87,230 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1989 | 85,980 tonnes | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 76,470 tonnes | -11.1% |
| 1991 | 74,160 tonnes | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 60,150 tonnes | -18.9% |
| 1993 | 56,240 tonnes | -6.5% |
| 1994 | 62,097 tonnes | +10.4% |
| 1995 | 61,823 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 58,817 tonnes | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 54,130 tonnes | -8.0% |
| 1998 | 52,490 tonnes | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 51,600 tonnes | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 51,810 tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 48,540 tonnes | -6.3% |
| 2002 | 47,460 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 44,050 tonnes | -7.2% |
| 2004 | 39,720 tonnes | -9.8% |
| 2005 | 41,180 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 41,620 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 49,160 tonnes | +18.1% |
| 2008 | 52,570 tonnes | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 47,270 tonnes | -10.1% |
| 2010 | 46,460 tonnes | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 47,270 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 43,410 tonnes | -8.2% |
| 2013 | 53,383 tonnes | +23.0% |
| 2014 | 50,304 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 51,988 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 44,715 tonnes | -14.0% |
| 2017 | 40,193 tonnes | -10.1% |
| 2018 | 43,323 tonnes | +7.8% |
| 2019 | 35,607 tonnes | -17.8% |
| 2020 | 44,580 tonnes | +25.2% |
| 2021 | 43,415 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 45,040 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 53,559 tonnes | +18.9% |
| 2024 | 49,825 tonnes | -7.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 49,825 tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12,731 tonnes, 3.9× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 49,825 tonnes is above the median for South Asia, which is 49,825 tonnes, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 61,234 tonnes | 42,874 tonnes | 76,135 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 122,388 tonnes | 56,196 tonnes | 193,633 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 116,704 tonnes | 80,431 tonnes | 158,600 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 60,798 tonnes | 51,600 tonnes | 76,470 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 46,338 tonnes | 39,720 tonnes | 52,570 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 45,665 tonnes | 35,607 tonnes | 53,383 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 47,284 tonnes | 43,415 tonnes | 53,559 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 sweet potato production in Sri Lanka?
- Sweet potato production in Sri Lanka was 49,825 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 sweet potato production recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 193,633 tonnes in 1975.
- What is the lowest sweet potato production recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 35,607 tonnes in 2019.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for sweet potato production?
- Sri Lanka ranks 58th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sweet potato production rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. 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 Sweet potato 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
Sweet potato production is measured in tonnes.