President directs immediate action to solve plantation sector issues 

• Instructs Plantation Reform Committee to find a basis for granting new leases as not all companies have performed well
• Opines RPCs should not be allowed to sell their shareholdings without consent of Govt. once they have been given land

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed immediate action by officials to solve plantation sector issues.

During a meeting with industry stakeholders, the President emphasised that the Government is committed to carrying out its agricultural modernisation plan. However, he also highlighted certain issues that need to be addressed in the sector. One of the main challenges mentioned by the President was related to the Mahaweli Authority and its lands, which are now being resolved. Another issue that was discussed extensively was the regional plantation companies.

The President pointed out that the main challenge faced by regional plantations is the leases that are due to expire in the next 10 or 15 years. He stressed that if the Government is going ahead with agricultural modernisation, it will have to give new leases. However, the President instructed the members of the Plantation Reform Committee (PRC) to find a basis for granting new leases, as not all companies have performed well.

He also instructed them to update the survey conducted in 2018 to assess the performance of the companies and determine the basis for granting new leases.

During the meeting, the President suggested that companies should not be allowed to sell their shareholdings without the consent of the Government once they have been given land. Additionally, he revealed that the Government is planning to introduce gemming on the land as part of its efforts to modernise agriculture into agribusinesses. The PRC was asked for their views on this matter.

Other issues discussed during the meeting included housing in the plantation sector, challenges facing the three main crops (tea, rubber, and coconut) that come under the plantation sector, and problems pertaining to tea plantation line-rooms and housing. The meeting also focused on a pilot project where land is being subcontracted to workers and issues related to Land Reform Commission (LRC) were given priority.Finally, the attention was drawn to the sale of tea to Iran. 

PRC Chairman and Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Policy Implementation R. Paskaralingam, and other members of the Committee Vish Govindasamy, Dr. Romesh Dias Bandaranaike, Charitha Ratwatte, Niraj de Mel, Chrisantha Perera, Lionel Herath, Sanjaya Herath, Dr. Rohan Fernando, Leon Fonseka, Leelanath Wickramaarachchi, Tharangani Wickramasinghe, Srimal Wijesekera, and Harendran Krishnasamy attended this discussion.