Sri Lanka, Nov. 6 -- Sri Lanka continues to spend trillions of rupees importing products that could easily be cultivated or produced locally, a costly trend that has persisted for over a decade despite the country's rich agricultural potential.

According to official data, the country spent Rs. 577.6 billion on food and beverage imports in 2024 alone. This marks a sharp rise from Rs. 173 billion in 2011 - more than a threefold increase over 13 years.

Among the most concerning figures is the country's expenditure on vegetables, which jumped from Rs. 34.4 billion in 2011 to Rs. 177.6 billion in 2024 - a staggering fivefold increase. These are products that can be easily cultivated within Sri Lanka's fertile soil and favourable climate cond...