In brief
A release by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, cited by Xinhua, shows a 51.5% jump in fuel import costs to $4.49 billion for January‑September 2026, thanks to higher domestic fuel prices and global shipping restrictions. September spending fell 5.8% from the previous year, yet remains higher than 2025 levels. The surge follows Middle East conflict and limits on transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
Sri Lanka’s fuel import bill for the first nine months of 2026 rose 51.5 % to $4.49 billion, the country’s Central Bank reported in a statement released to Xinhua on November 1.
The Xinhua‑reported figure marks a jump from $2.96 billion for the same period in 2025 and reflects the Central Bank’s latest External Sector Performance report dated October 30.
September Trend
Fuel import spending fell 5.8 % in September 2026, according to the Xinhua citation. Xinhua said the country spent $415.1 million on fuel imports that month, down from $440.7 million in September 2025, and that the decline marks Sri Lanka’s fifth consecutive month of lower monthly spending.
Despite the monthly down‑turn, the September figure remains well above the 2025 level, Xinhua reported, underscoring the sustained higher cost of fuel imports during the period.
Xinhua attributed the spike to higher domestic fuel prices amid an escalation of conflict in the Middle East and to disruptions in global energy supply chains, including restrictions affecting shipments through the Strait of Hormuz that pushed up crude oil and petroleum product prices, freight, and insurance costs.
