The Central Bank of Sri Lanka states that US$ 4,072.1 million was spent on fuel imports during the first eight months of this year. According to the report issued by the Central Bank, this figure represents a 61.6% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
The expenditure on fuel imports from January to August 2025 amounted to US$ 2,520.6 million. Consequently, calculations based on Central Bank data indicate that the cost of fuel imports for the same period this year has risen by US$ 1,551.5 million compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, expenditure on fuel imports in August 2026 alone stood at US$ 450.6 million, marking a 76.5% increase compared to August 2025. The cost of fuel imports in August 2025 was US$ 255.2 million.
Thus, calculations based on Central Bank data show that the cost of fuel imports in August 2026 increased by US$ 195.4 million compared to August 2025. Additionally, US$ 321.9 million was spent on the import of refined petroleum in August 2026.
In contrast, the expenditure for the same in August 2025 was US$ 202.9 million.
Accordingly, the cost of refined petroleum imports has risen by 58.7% on a year-on-year basis.