Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-08-23

Enhancing the Financial Subsidy for Tea, Rubber and Coconut Fertilizer Sectors

- As recommended by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management, the Government has taken action to grant a financial subsidy for fertilizer, proportionate to the annually cultivated land, to Smallholders who own a cultivated land in extent of 01 hectare or less in the tea, coconut and rubber sectors. Accordingly, there will be an entitlement to a financial subsidy of Rs.15,000/-, per hectare for tea; Rs.9,000/- per hectare for coconut and Rs.5,000/- per hectare for rubber. With a view to providing subsidies for a larger number of interested beneficiaries, the proposal made by Hon. Navin Dissanayake, the Minister of Plantation Industries to increase the current approved ceiling on the extent of land to be eligible for Rubber and Coconut subsidy, from 01 hectare up to 02 hectares, was approved by the Cabinet.