Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2015-11-05

Obtaining Financial Assistance from the International Fund for Agricultural Development for the Implementation of the Smallholder Tea and Rubber Revitalization (STARR) Programme

- With the objective of sustainably developing the small scale tea and rubber cultivation sector, the Government has commenced a Revitalization Programme in the said sector, with the financial assistance of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Under this programme, aiding the increase of tea harvest in currently cultivated 5,500 hectares of lands in the Matara, Galle, Ratnapura, Badulla and Kandy District, is anticipated. This programme will also contribute to the increase of the rubber harvest of 3,000 hectares of new rubber estates in the Moneragala and Ampara Districts. The total investment for this project is US$ 65.4 million, of which US$ 25.7 million will be provided by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Ranil Wickramasinghe, the Prime Minister, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs to enter into an Agreement with the IFAD for said purpose, was approved by the Cabinet.