Sri Lanka economy grew 3.5-pct in 2009: statistics office

Mar 27, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's economy grew 3.5 percent in 2009 pushed by growth in all three major sectors of economic activity, agriculture, industry and services, the Department of Census & Statistics (DCS) said in a statement. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was much slower than the six percent achieved in 2008, largely owing to the global slowdown, although the economy has been recovering in recent quarters with revenue and exports picking up.

The Central Bank has forecast economic growth of five percent this year.

The statistics office said key contributors to growth of in 2009 came from rubber, which grew 7.9 percent, vegetables which grew at 7.3 percent, fishing which expanded by 6.9 percent, mining for construction which grew 18.1 percent, hotels and restaurants which expanded 13.3 percent, and post and telecommunications at 11.7 percent.

The services sector, which accounts for almost 60 percent share of economic activity, grew 3.3 percent, industry which accounts for just over a quarter of economic activity grew 4.2 percent and agriculture, which has a 12 percent share, expanded by 3.2 percent.

The statistics office said estimated per-capita GDP at market prices (per capita income) for 2009 was