News
Lanka’s US Soybean meal imports surge amid rising regional demand
Sri Lanka is a major importer of US soybean meal in South Asia, a trend expected to continue due to increasing regional demand for protein-rich diets. At the Soy Connext summit held from August 19-21 in San Francisco, organized by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), it was highlighted that Sri Lanka requires between 210,000 and 240,000 metric tons of soybean meal annually for its growing poultry industry. In 2023, U.S. soybean meal imports to Sri Lanka were valued at $101 million. Additionally, Sri Lanka’s annual requirement for textured soy, primarily soy nuggets, is about 12,000 metric tons.
USSEC Director of Sustainability, Abby Rinne, said ‘‘U.S. Soy is different from soy in other regions for several different factors, primarily with farmers having focused on sustainability for over a century. From the times of the Great Depression, the industry has looked at soil conservation measures and the development of agencies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to focus on working with landowners on soil conservation has had a significant impact.’’
In July last year, a local poultry producer, New Anthoney’s Farms adopted the “Fed with Sustainable U.S. Soy’ label on their products, making them the first in the entire South Asian and Sub-Saharan Africa region. Ten other producers followed suit and signed licensing agreements.
‘‘Despite its smaller industry size compared to its neighboring countries, Sri Lanka’s poultry and livestock industry has continued to uphold and increase its quality, efficiency, and capabilities, with significant investments and efforts towards adopting sustainability across its entire operations and supply chain,’’ said USSEC Regional Director for South Asia and Sub-Sharan Africa, Kevin Roepke.
This year’s Soy Connext recognized a few of the companies including Sri Lanka’s New Anthoney’s Group and Happy Hen (Switz Lanka) for using the Sustainable U.S. Soy and the ‘Fed with U.S Sustainable Soy’ label, which are used by 120 companies in 18 different countries and across over 1,000 products.
As part of the official visit to London for the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, held discussions with academic experts from the British Council on Wednesday [20 May 2026].
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in education, particularly in the areas of teacher training, English language programmes, education frameworks, and language acquisition skills.
The British Council shared international experience and highlighted its ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, while expressing readiness to support the country through technical assistance, teacher development initiatives, and policy collaboration.
Discussions also included views on improving quality assurance, expanding research collaboration, and enhancing learning opportunities.
The Prime Minister appreciated the British Council’s continued engagement in Sri Lanka and reiterated the importance of deepening partnerships.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, met with members of the Sri Lankan community living in London on Wednesday [20th] and engaged in cordial discussions.
Despite the event being held on a weekday, it was notable that nearly one thousand Sri Lankans representing the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities attended with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that despite natural disasters and international crises, the present government has succeeded in stabilizing the country’s economy while providing relief to the people. She further noted that Sri Lanka’s political culture has now undergone a positive transformation that is irreversible.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, addressing the event, stated that a governance system has now been established in the country where all communities are treated equally and the benefits of economic development are shared fairly among all citizens.
Moving away from the traditional method of political gatherings, the event also provided an open platform for members of the Sri Lankan community to directly raise questions and express their views to the Prime Minister and the Minister.
Commenting on the organization of the event, the organizing committee stated that all expenses, including dinner, were borne by the participants themselves. The organizers further remarked that it is unsurprising that opposition groups, accustomed to organizing such events through the misuse of public funds, appear unsettled by this transparent process.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya currently undertaking an official visit to London, United Kingdom, to participate in the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026 held a bilateral meeting with the Yvette Cooper MP, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom ON Wednesday [20]. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, along with officials from the Sri Lankan High Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation to the United Kingdom for the support extended in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa, including ongoing rebuilding and recovery assistance. The Prime Minister also commended the United Kingdom’s support in facilitating increased bilateral trade and exports for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister briefed the UK delegation on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and policy priorities, the Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and reconciliation, as well as Sri Lanka’s positive growth trajectory.
The two sides also exchanged views on current global geopolitical developments, challenges in the energy sector, and the importance of enhancing regional connectivity and long-term energy security.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening structured academic mobility frameworks while ensuring fairness, clarity, and integrity within migration systems.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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