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Commercial plantations urge immediate government action to prevent industry’s demise

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4 years ago

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RPCs allege discrimination by authorities on allocation of fuel for leaf and latex transport and power generation

Calls for radical and bold reforms to resuscitate industry including allowing hybrid $ auctions

Calls for additional assistance to increase production to enhance dollar earnings and measures to reduce high COP

The Government’s failure to allocate fuel quotas to the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs), together with continuous power disruptions and uninformed policymaking, is bringing Sri Lanka’s commercial plantations to a standstill. Due to the lack of fuel, all leaf and latex transport operations have been severely impacted and there is insufficient fuel to operate standby generators.

Accordingly, the Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA), demanded that authorities take immediate action to prioritize Sri Lanka’s plantation industry which contributes over USD 1.5 billion to Sri Lanka’s export revenue.

Commenting on the dire situation, PA media spokesperson, Dr. Roshan Rajadurai cautioned that the Government’s continuing failure to give any priority whatsoever to the needs of RPCs and the broader industry, together with a series of catastrophic policy blunders had resulted in severe disruptions to production and transport and rapid escalation of production cost of tea by around 30% from the beginning of 2022.

“RPCs will no longer be able to continue operations as usual if real and meaningful solutions are not provided immediately,” emphasised Dr. Rajadurai. “Despite our critical contribution to the industry and the Sri Lankan economy, the authorities have failed to understand our value. Instead they have continuously discriminated the RPCs even in the past, as compared with other export industry stakeholders and the rest of the plantation sector.”

“Our sector was severely disrupted even before the current domestic economic crisis by uninformed policy making decisions, including the completely irrational ban on import of essential agriculture inputs. The issues we are seeing now across the economy are directly connected to this unplanned, unscientific, and short-sighted approach to policy,” Rajadurai added. “While at long last, the Government has publicly accepted the failure of this policy, the once vocal proponents of such unsound claims are nowhere to be seen although the industry continues to pay the price, despite our repeated warnings and admonitions about the ill effects of such policy.”

While the Government retracted its decision to ban imports of agricultural inputs such as fertiliser, recommended weedicides, fungicides and pesticides, these have not been available since April 2021. The bureaucratic processes required for the bans to be lifted takes a long time, and have obstructed imports, creating severe shortages. Compounding these challenges, the depreciation of the Rupee and the global increase in commodity prices have resulted in the price of these essential inputs skyrocketing. For instance, the price of fertiliser used for tea has increased 25-fold from before the ban; from approximately Rs. 30,000 per metric tonne (MT) of urea to Rs. 750,000 per MT and prices are still increasing.

As a result, the cost of production of 1kg of tea has now risen to nearly Rs. 800. However, at the Colombo Tea Auction, the Net Sale Average (NSA) of high-grown tea was only around Rs. 717, up to end March 2022.

In addition, the unavailability of inputs will reduce yields and quality in the long run. Despite better weather compared to last year, the industry has seen a decline in tea and rubber crops this year, compared with the corresponding period of last year, as the lack of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, weedicides and fungicides begin to take effect. With tea and rubber being perennial/long-term crops, such adverse effects on yield could be felt throughout the productive life of the plant. Rubber cultivations too have been impacted by fast-spreading diseases such as pesta. In the absence of necessary inputs to arrest their spread the disease has already resulted in a 30% – 40% crop loss.

Tea estates operate throughout the 24 hours of the day and require uninterrupted electricity to do so. If, for instance, the withering operation is disrupted/interrupted for a few hours, bacterial contamination takes place, drastically reducing the quality of the tea produced. Acknowledging this, the authorities have allocated fuel quotas to the rest of the industry value chain for them to continue operations by running their generators during power cuts, but the RPCs have been inexplicably ignored.

Transporting inputs and raw materials such as green leaf and latex to and between large land areas in commercial estates and transporting produce to Colombo have also become extremely difficult due to the lack of fuel. This will lead to the complete breakdown of estate operations and consequently the RPCs will not be able to operate the estates leading to severe and serious social unrest under these present volatile situations in the country. Over 1 million people reside within the country’s large commercial estate sector and their livelihood is totally dependent on the plantation economy.

For the plantation sector to continue operations, uninterrupted power and fuel – including for internal transport – need to be provided as priority. Since suppliers are also now demanding for payments in foreign currency, the RPCs are also strongly urging the authorities to allow tea producers participating at the Colombo Tea Auction to obtain their payments from tea exporters in foreign currency.

A hybrid system, which allows exporters to pay tea producers in foreign currency and local buyers of tea to pay in Rupees is prudent and fair, considering how other export industries are allowed to obtain payments in foreign currency. Notably, 95% of Ceylon Tea is exported and the industry is a major generator of valuable foreign exchange for the country.

Given the sharp increase in the cost of vital agri inputs, the RPCs also urge the Government to include the commercial plantation sector in any beneficial scheme through which such inputs are made available to producers, using funds from multilateral agencies. The RPCs provide a range of services and care for a population of over 1 million residing in the estates and also support the smallholders by processing their tea leaves and rubber latex, serving as a vital cog in the industry’s supply chain.

In the medium to long-term, the RPCs see stable policymaking made in consultation with industry practitioners as essential for the growth and economic sustainability of the plantation industry.


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SLT MOBITEL and Fintelex empower farmers with the launch of Yaya Agro App

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44 mins ago

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2026/01/15

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From left to right – Supipi Nawarathne, Head, Department of Food Technology, UCIARS, Dr. Nisansala Widanapathirana, Head, Department of Agro Technology, UCIARS, Professor Champathi Gunathilake, Director, UCIARS, Dr. Nath Dharmasena, CEO, Fintelex Pvt Ltd, Sudharshana Geeganage, COO, Mobitel, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilaka, Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo, Pradeep Arunasiri, Consultant Agronomist – Digital Inclusion, Fintelex Pvt Ltd, and Madura Hewage, Senior Manager – VAS, Mobitel, at the launch of Yaya Agro.

SLT‑MOBITEL Mobile, in collaboration with Fintelex (Pvt) Ltd, has launched ‘Yaya Agro’, an exclusive all‑in‑one smart agriculture app designed to empower Sri Lankan farmers with the tools they need to grow smarter, safer, and more sustainably.

Yaya Agro represents a new era of digital farming in Sri Lanka combining technology, expert knowledge, and community empowerment to provide farmers the confidence to make smarter decisions, improve productivity, and build a sustainable future.

Developed with support from GIZ and Hatch and validated by leading academic and professional institutions including the University of Colombo, Institute for Agrotechnology and Rural Sciences, and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, Yaya Agro combines agricultural expertise, real‑time weather updates, first aid support, and AI‑powered assistance into a single, easy‑to‑use platform.

The launch of Yaya Agro positions SLT‑MOBITEL as an innovative, inclusive, and collaborative technology leader. Partnering technology and academic institutions, the company extends its role outside the sector into agriculture, empowering farmers with AI‑driven tools, multilingual access, and market connectivity. The initiative also strengthens SLT‑MOBITEL’s image as a champion of digital empowerment and sustainable development in Sri Lanka.

Functioning as a comprehensive digital companion, Yaya Agro is positioned as a digital farming companion, bringing precision agriculture, real‑time support, and market access to the fingertips of every Sri Lankan farmer.

Whether managing a small home garden or a large commercial farm, the app equips farmers with vital insights to improve crop yield, reduce risks, and connect directly with buyers through the integrated online marketplace.

Yaya Agro offers farmers daily crop information with expert tips on management, pest control, and best practices, all validated by the University of Colombo. It provides accurate, location‑based weather forecasts to help plan farming activities more effectively. The app also delivers life‑saving first aid tutorials and safety information verified by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, ensuring farmers are prepared for emergencies. With the AI chatbot assistant, farmers can access instant, personalized advice around the clock, with smart notifications delivering timely alerts and reminders tailored to crop cycles.

To make learning inclusive and accessible, Yaya Agro is available in Sinhala, Tamil, and English, offering interactive educational content such as videos, voice guides, and infographics. The app also integrates an online marketplace, developed in partnership with GIZ and Hatch, enabling farmers to connect directly with buyers and expand their reach. (SLT‑MOBITEL )

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Kegalle sets up District Planning Committee to rein-in development spending under IMF-backed reforms

Published

46 mins ago

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2026/01/15

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Dr. Patabendi addressing officials.

As Sri Lanka presses ahead with IMF-backed fiscal and governance reforms, the Kegalle District Planning Committee (DPC) was formally established yesterday as a standing sub-committee of the District Coordinating Committee (DCC), in a move aimed at tightening control over public investment, reducing duplication and strengthening monitoring at district level.

The committee was constituted under Home Affairs Circular No. 03/2025 issued by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, and was inaugurated at the Kegalle District Secretariat auditorium under the leadership of Environment Minister and DCC Co-Chair Dr. Dhammika Patabendi and District Secretary H.M.J.M. Herath.

Addressing officials, Dr. Patabendi said the new structure directly responds to long-standing weaknesses in public investment management that have come under scrutiny during Sri Lanka’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund.

“Under the IMF programme, we cannot afford fragmented planning, overlapping projects or weak monitoring. This committee is about discipline—ensuring that limited public funds are allocated according to national priorities and deliver measurable outcomes,” Dr. Patabendi said.

He stressed that district-level planning must now align with national fiscal consolidation goals, with a stronger emphasis on value-for-money, results-based implementation and accountability.

The District Planning Committee will function as a permanent sub-committee of the DCC, chaired by the district’s Cabinet Minister, with the District Secretary serving as Secretary and the Director of Planning as Convener. Members include officials from district-level price and food committees and heads of government institutions or their nominees.

A central mandate of the committee is the preparation of an Annual Integrated District Development Plan, covering all funding sources—including foreign-funded and donor-supported projects—for approval by the District Coordinating Committee.

Officials said this would help rationalise project selection, prioritise urgent district needs and prevent the duplication of monitoring and evaluation systems, a key concern raised in public investment reviews under the IMF programme.

Dr. Patabendi noted that better coordination of state, private and non-state sector investments at district level would also support macro-level reform objectives by improving spending efficiency without increasing fiscal pressure.

“Fiscal adjustment does not mean stopping development. It means doing development better—through planning, coordination and proper evaluation,” he said.

The committee will oversee the operational rollout of DCC-approved projects, provide advisory support to implementing agencies, and monitor whether projects are delivered within approved timeframes and achieve stated targets.

Progress reports will be submitted to the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Finance and the District Coordinating Committee, strengthening upward accountability.

At yesterday’s meeting, officials reviewed development proposals linked to the 2026 Budget, with focus on education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, industry, environment and tourism—sectors seen as critical for growth and social protection during the reform period.

Implementation challenges faced by projects carried out in 2025 across several Divisional Secretariat areas were also examined, with discussions centred on resolving bottlenecks early in 2026 and aligning future investments with the district’s five-year development plan.

Senior provincial and district officials, Members of Parliament from Kegalle, local authority heads and divisional secretaries attended the meeting.

Dr. Patabendi said the establishment of the District Planning Committee marked an important step towards embedding IMF-aligned public financial management reforms at the grassroots level, ensuring that development spending contributes to economic recovery while safeguarding fiscal sustainability.

By Ifham Nizam

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Allianz commits €200,000 for post flood recovery in Sri Lanka, part of €600,000 regional relief for Southeast Asia

Published

47 mins ago

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2026/01/15

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Allianz SE (Headquartered in Munich, Germany) announced that it is donating €200,000 to support disaster relief efforts in Sri Lanka. In addition, Allianz SE is also extending its support to Thailand and Indonesia, contributing a further €400,000 to aid disaster relief across Southeast Asia. Torrential rainfalls have triggered severe flooding and landslides across Southeast Asia, leaving more than 1,100 people dead in a week of devastation and complicating rescue efforts for hundreds still missing. Allianz is deeply rooted with local entities in the three countries and serving millions of customers across Asia. By supporting the affected people and communities, Allianz acts on its promise to secure the future of its stakeholders in times of need.

Allianz SE will allocate €100,000 to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) to deliver immediate assistance to those most affected and €100,000 will also be provided for post-disaster support, implemented in collaboration with Allianz Insurance Lanka Limited and selected local partners, focusing on disaster prevention and climate resilience, helping communities rebuild and strengthen their preparedness against future events.

Renate Wagner, Member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE, responsible for Asia Pacific, Mergers & Acquisitions, People and Cultures says:

“At Allianz, we stand with the people and communities affected by the severe floods and landslides across Southeast Asia. Through immediate relief and long-term resilience support, we aim to help families recover, strengthen local communities, and better prepare for future climate-related events.”

Anusha Thavarajah, Regional Chief Executive Officer, Allianz Asia Pacific adds:

“Across Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, many families and communities are facing significant loss and disruption. In moments like these, Allianz stands alongside them. Asia Pacific is home to our people, our customers, and the communities we serve, and we remain deeply committed to the region. Our immediate focus is on providing relief where it is most needed, while also supporting communities to rebuild and strengthen resilience, so those most affected can move forward with confidence.”

Allianz is fully dedicated to Asia and its people. It represents a strategic growth region for Allianz Group, which already has established strong market positions throughout Southeast Asia. Besides Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, Allianz is present with various business segments in China, India, Malaysia and Singapore, among others.

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