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Sri Lanka’s agricultural biotechnology policies remain unchanged. Over the past year, there has been no progress in the approval of its draft Biosafety Act, which establishes a system to protect biodiversity, the environment and human, plant and animal health while minimizing the risks of biotechnology.

This FAIRS report lists the export certificates required for food and agricultural products shipped to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka). An export certificate matrix is included in this report.

The Food Act No. 26 of 1980, Animal Feed Act No. 15 of 1986, Plant Protection Act No. 35 of 1999, and Import and Export Control Act No. 1 of 1969 are the main laws that govern food imports into Sri Lanka. Import regulation are in the hands of several state institutions, making the process complicated and time-consuming.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health extended the implementation effective date of the Food (Color Coding for Sugar Levels-Liquids) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2024 to January 1, 2025.

Rice is Sri Lanka's national staple, its productive cultivation is of national security concern. FAS Colombo (Post) forecast’s Sri Lanka’s market year (MY) 2024/2025 (October-September) rice production (milled) at 3.42 million metric tons (MMT), coming from a planted area of 1.1 million hectares, with yields of 4.57 metric tons (MT)/hectare (rough rice).

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health extended the implementation effective date of the Food (Trans Fat) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2024 to January 1, 2025.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health extended the implementation date of Food (Labeling and Advertising) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2024 to January 1, 2025.

Sri Lanka does not produce genetically engineered (GE) crops or animals. There is some GE research at the laboratory level, but there is no commercialization. The lack of a legal framework and biosafety procedures are a major setback; the country...

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies recently introduced a Special Commodity Levy for three agricultural commodities: maize (corn), black gram, and green gram, effective August 18, 2023, for a period of six-months.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health recently introduced the Food (Labeling and Advertising) Regulations (2022).

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka) recently introduced the Food (Trans-Fat) Regulations (2022), that bans and limits the use of high trans-fats foods effective January 1, 2024.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health recently amended the Food (Control of Import, Labeling, and Sale of Genetically Modified Foods) Regulations (2006).