Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved the country’s first Economic Census in over a decade, with the survey to be conducted in two phases: Agricultural activities in 2025 and non-agricultural sectors in 2026.

The move aims to provide critical data to shape economic policy amid the nation’s recovery from its worst financial crisis in decades. The last Economic Census was conducted in 2013/14, meaning policymakers have been relying on outdated data for key decisions.

Since then, Sri Lanka has faced multiple shocks, including the 2019 Easter attacks, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the 2022 sovereign default, which drastically altered the economic landscape.

According to data from the Central Bank in 2025, the agricultural sector employs about 25% of Sri Lanka’s workforce, but has struggled with low productivity, fertiliser shortages, and climate vulnerabilities. Updated data is likely to help modernise policies on food security and rural livelihoods.

The services and industrial sectors, including tourism, manufacturing, and IT, have been key to Sri Lanka’s recovery.

However, informal employment, an estimated 60% of the workforce according to a report published by the International Labour Organisation, remains a challenge for taxation and labour reforms.