Sri Lanka produces a wide range of root crops for consumption purposes

The agriculture sector in Sri Lanka, is still the mainstay of the country's economic powerhouse, with significant performance from commodities such as tea, coconut, rubber, cinnamon, pepper, pineapple, tamarind and yams. The total revenue earned in 2001 was Rs. 78 billion.
Most attention is being focused on plantation crops, spices and the staple food crop, paddy. Introduction of various assistance schemes, technologies aimed at increasing production as well as farmer income, were mainly centered on these crops, due to their importance in terms of foreign exchange earning (93%).
Increasing global competition has opened the way to diversify Sri Lanka's non-traditional agriculture sector aiming at export markets. In view of this fruits, vegetables and yam (FYM) of Sri Lanka have been identified as a priority area for development and promotion in the overseas markets. The sector has earned Rs. 1.80 billion during the year 2001.
Although the earnings are not significant compared to the volume of national agriculture produce exports the sector has guided towards the systems to increase productivity, improve quality, cut down cost of production, use of modern post harvest technology, aiming at exports and catering to different market segments locally.

The main products exported from Sri Lanka are fresh yams (manioc, kiriala, king yam) fresh vegetables, (green chilies, snakegourd, karawila, capsicum, leeks, tomato, beans, cabbage and assorted ranger) fresh fruits (pineapple, avocado, seasonal fruits and assorted fruits) processed fruits, vegetables and yams (gherkins, preserves, chutneys, fruit juices, mixed products).
Sri Lanka produces a wide range of root crops for consumption purposes. Manioc, sweet potato, kiriala (Taro), purple yam, keedaran, innala and aquatic roots such as lotus root, kohila, are widely available in the local market.

Sri Lanka's annual total production of root crops is estimated at 336,000 tons (Census and Statistics). Few types of root crops such as manioc, kirala, king yam and innala are exported from Sri Lanka mainly for the consumption of expatriate consumers in the Gulf and other developed markets. Export of manioc, kiriala, king am and other root crops have earned Rs. 80.0 million in the year 2001.