Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2024-02-12 (Subject to Confirmation at the next Meeting)

Management of Commercial Plantations

- In the budget speeches for the years 2023 and 2024, the Hon. President has pointed out that a large extent of lands belonging to the Government Plantation Institutions such as the Janatha Estates Development Board and the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation remains uncultivated or without a productive use over a long period of time owing to various reasons, such as legal issues, institutional conflicts, lack of capital, etc. It has been found appropriate to lease out such large-scale and underutilized lands to potential investors on long term basis for cultivation of exportable crops, establishment of livestock farms for export and production of other exportable goods and services. The Non-Cabinet Ministry of State Plantation Enterprises Reforms has prepared a programme in order to use such lands productively in a way that brings multiple benefits to the society by getting involved the local entrepreneurs for the same. Accordingly, approval of the Cabinet was granted to the proposal made by the Hon. President to implement the said programme.