Plantations & Agriculture
From The Report: Sri Lanka 2017
View in Online Reader

A long-time economic mainstay and the country’s primary employer, the agriculture sector makes up 9% of Sri Lanka’s GDP and is a significant source of foreign exchange. With the exception of rubber, all of the country’s major agricultural exports saw growth between 2010 and 2015. Export earnings increased during the same period, with agricultural exports comprising around one quarter of the total. The sector includes an established plantation segment, producing mainly tea, coconut and rubber, and a less-established food crop production segment, which produces fruits, vegetables and other crops, predominantly for domestic consumption.

This chapter contains interviews with Navin Dissanayake, Minister of Plantation Industries; and Jayantha Karunaratne, Chairman,Tea Exporters Association.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Cream of the crop: Increasing both production and exports are key goals
OBG
plus

A long-time economic mainstay and the country’s primary employer, the agriculture sector makes up 9% of Sri Lanka’s GDP and is a significant source of foreign exchange. With the exception of rubber, all of the country’s major agricultural exports saw growth between 2010 and 2015. Export earnings increased during the same period, with agricultural exports comprising around one quarter of the total. The sector includes an established plantation segment, producing mainly tea, coconut…

Interview

Brewing change: Navin Dissanayake, Minister of Plantation Industries, on developments in the tea and rubber industries
OBG
plus

Interview: Navin Dissanayake How can mechanisation enhance plantation productivity without disrupting the traditional labour-intensive markets? NAVIN DISSANAYAKE: The tea industry in Ceylon, particularly the large tea estates, has employed the traditional model of a labour-intensive workforce. Over the last two decades the movement of labour to more urban areas has reduced this workforce. Also the third generation of youth does not want to work in the estate in the traditional format. At the moment…

Interview

Tea service: Jayantha Karunaratne, Chairman, Tea Exporters Association, on promoting Ceylon tea to the world
OBG
plus

Interview: Jayantha Karunaratne What impact have falling tea prices and lower output had on the tea industry? JAYANTHA KARUNARATNE: The slide in tea prices began in around March 2014 and was due to a number of factors. These included sanctions on Russia, falling oil prices and the escalation of conflict in the Middle East. From around July 2016 tea prices began rising when crop shortages were reported due to a long dry spell, low application of fertiliser and a ban on weedicide. At the end of 2016…

Analysis

Future-proofing: The government seeks to drive modernisation in the sector
OBG
plus

Policymakers in Sri Lanka are looking towards the development of a modern, sustainable agriculture sector to enhance economic growth, increase rural income and boost employment. Small farming plots, low productivity and falling international commodity prices have resulted in many farmers being unable to invest in technology or seek out improved techniques. The majority of Sri Lanka’s food crops are grown by smallholder farmers who cultivate vegetables, rice, fruits, maize and groundnuts.…