DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2019.v06i08.002

Pages: 186-189

The agriculture sector exists in a superior place in the Sri Lankan economy regardless of its comparatively lesser contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) and high employment rate. Agriculture sector which comprises of domestic and export sub-sectors remains a dynamic sector in the economy through the delivery of income, employment, foreign exchange, food and, raw materials. With this background the objective of this study is to highlight the importance and role of agriculture by analysing the following indicators: i) the share of agriculture in GDP, ii) labor force in agriculture, farming and agriculture production, iii) land use pattern and iv) volume of agricultural products. The study uses the secondary data which was collected from various issues of Central Bank of Sri Lanka Annual reports from 1950 to 2018, Department of Census and Statistics (Labor Force Statistics Division and Agriculture and Environment Statistics Division) and Department of Land Use Policy Planning. The data is first tabulated and then generated graphs and based on the observed patterns certain interpretations are furnished. The contribution of the agriculture sector to national GDP has diminished continuously since 1950. The percentage share of agriculture was just above 45% in 1950 and reduced drastically over the last six decades and reached 7% in 2018. Percentage of employed in this sector showed a decreasing trend from 48% in 1990 to 25% in 2018 which is the 50% reduction in job opportunities. The agricultural land area of Sri Lanka increased from 22,550 sq. km in 1967 to 27,400 sq. km in 2016 rising at an average annual rate of 0.42 %. Percentages of land use for the agricultural purpose was nearly 44% in 2015. Agriculture sector use almost 44% of the total land area for different cultivation purposes such as home garden, paddy, plantation crops (tea, rubber and coconut) and other field crops. The leading agricultural land use in Sri Lanka are home gardens, paddy and plantation