Posted by ONLANKA Information Desk on July 25, 2026 – 9:59 am
Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officers to organize a programme to supply underutilised land and challenge help companies to Sri Lankan migrant staff returning after finishing their abroad employment.
The instruction was issued throughout a dialogue held on the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo yesterday afternoon (July 24) to assessment tasks carried out beneath the 2026 funds allocations for the Ministry of Plantation and Group Infrastructure and take into account the Ministry’s proposals for the 2027 Funds.
The assembly reviewed improvement tasks being carried out by the plantation and neighborhood infrastructure sectors, in addition to establishments and state plantation firms working beneath the Ministry.
Officers additionally mentioned priorities, funding necessities and proposed initiatives for 2027.
The progress of a number of plantation sector programmes being carried out beneath capital allocations of Rs. 1,081 million was reviewed. These included the property land surveying programme, coconut illness administration, the Kapruka Fund, programmes to extend coconut manufacturing and the Northern Coconut Triangle Programme.
President Dissanayake additionally examined ongoing infrastructure improvement programmes within the plantation sector.
He careworn that the challenge to assemble 10,000 homes for the Malayagam neighborhood needs to be accomplished inside the stipulated timeframe and that the homes needs to be handed over to beneficiaries directly.
The President stated weaknesses within the implementation of tasks financed via overseas grants and loans had resulted in some allotted funds remaining unused or being returned.
The progress of a reduction programme to help the replanting of tea, coconut, rubber and different plantation crops broken by the Ditwah catastrophe scenario was additionally reviewed.
Officers stated the tea, coconut, rubber, cashew and palmyrah sectors, together with plantation infrastructure improvement actions, had recorded development and improved profitability this 12 months in comparison with the earlier 12 months.
Six state plantation firms have been reported to have made important progress in bettering profitability. They’re Elkaduwa Plantations Restricted, Kurunegala Plantations Restricted, Chilaw Plantations Restricted, the Sri Lanka State Plantation Company, the Janatha Estates Growth Board and Kalubowitiyana Tea Manufacturing facility Restricted.
Particular consideration was given to crop manufacturing and crop enchancment programmes carried out by the Tea Analysis Institute, together with analysis and improvement actions and programmes to help the replanting of smallholder tea plantations.
It was revealed that round 60,000 hectares of Sri Lanka’s tea cultivation consists of smallholder plantations.
Of the Rs. 450.06 million allotted within the 2026 Funds for replanting smallholder tea plantations, Rs. 155.07 million has already been used.
The President additionally reviewed the five hundred Tea Villages Programme carried out by the Tea Small Holdings Growth Authority.
He instructed officers to hurry up the programme by integrating it with different rural improvement initiatives, together with the “Prajashakthi” programme, on the grassroots stage.
The assembly additionally mentioned plans to revive rubber cultivation. These included the Rs. 137 million allotted to the Rubber Analysis Institute within the 2026 Funds, the progress of rubber replanting programmes and the challenges confronted throughout their implementation.
Officers reviewed programmes and analysis actions geared toward creating the coconut business, bettering the productiveness of coconut plantations, selling new merchandise, rising worth addition and bettering product high quality.
The progress of programmes carried out by the Palmyrah Growth Board and the Kithul Growth Board to strengthen the palmyrah and kithul industries was additionally examined.
It was revealed that Sri Lanka is anticipated to supply 18,000 metric tonnes of its annual cashew requirement of 25,000 metric tonnes this 12 months. This represents a big improve in comparison with the earlier 12 months.
The potential for increasing cashew cultivation throughout roughly 15,000 hectares within the Northern and Jap Provinces was additionally mentioned.
The assembly reviewed efforts to consolidate establishments within the plantation sector and implement Cupboard selections regarding non-commercial state-owned establishments.
Officers additionally mentioned the necessity to replace agreements entered into by earlier governments when allocating land to firms.
President Dissanayake careworn the necessity for stronger agreements overlaying the allocation of state-owned land and instructed {that a} committee be appointed via the Ministry of Finance to look at and handle the problem.
The President additionally instructed officers to seek the advice of related increased training establishments and discover the opportunity of providing programs carried out by the Nationwide Institute of Plantation Administration via universities.
Minister of Plantation and Group Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Anil Jayantha Fernando and Deputy Minister of Plantation and Group Infrastructure Sundaralingam Pradeep attended the dialogue.
Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chief of Presidential Employees Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Senior Further Secretaries to the President Russell Aponso and Kapila Janaka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Financial Growth Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma and Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Group Infrastructure Gunadasa Samarasinghe have been additionally current.
Chairpersons, Administrators Basic and senior officers from establishments working beneath the Ministry of Plantation and Group Infrastructure additionally participated.
