Sri Lanka says foreign investment US889mn in 2008

Mar 05, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka had received 889,9 million US dollars of foreign direct investments in 2008 which includes a 136.72 million US dollar loan, the island's investment promotion agency said. The Board of investment said the investments in ventures approved by it were up 21 percent from the US dollars 734 million recorded last year.

Telecoms led the tables with 553.09 million US dollars, followed by power generation at 87.86 million and housing 19.854 million. The infrastructure category received a total of 660.8 million US dollars.

Manufacturing received 189.2 million US dollars with textiles, apparels and leather getting 72.28 million US dollars.

Chemicals petroleum and plastic, received 39.9 million US dollars, food beverages and tobacco 14.7 million US dollars, fabricated metals 14.3 million US dollars, non metallic mineral products 14.3 million, wood products 2.2 million, paper and printing 0.4 million and other manufactured products 32.4 million US dollars.

Services received 36.2 million US dollars with information technology and business process outsourcing bringing in 14.0 million, hotels and restaurants 3.0 million and other services 19.1 million US dollars.