Category: Agriculture

December 20, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government on Monday banned the felling of coconut trees as the island battled a severe shortage of nuts — a dietary staple — and ordered imports for the first time. Coconut development minister Jagath Pushpakumara said the government had outlawed the cutting down of coconut trees in a […]

Dec 17, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea could see strong demand in the first quarter of 2011 as it is a low cropping period and supply and demand are finely balanced at the end of this year, brokers said. There was good demand at the penultimate auction this week and prices were mostly firm. […]

December 17, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s authorities have imposed price control coconuts — a dietary staple — by setting a ceiling price and arranging imports to bring down prices. So important is the coconut to the national cuisine that shortages in the past have had serious political implications and even been held responsible for […]

Dec 16, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan poultry firm Bairaha Farms aims to increase production by more than half in three years with a total estimated investment of almost 360 million rupees on a new farm, a statement said. The poultry producer, which owns and manages a large-scale chicken processing factory and also operates breeder […]

Dec 10, 2010 (LBO) – Iran, which restricts import of value-added teas, has offered to let Sri Lankan exporters pack and sell tea in the country under a preferential tariff quota scheme, the government said. Tea is Sri Lanka’s main export to Iran, the island’s sixth largest trading partner with total two-way trade between the […]

Dec 10, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea production is expected to hit a new high this year, exceeding 320 million kilos despite recent shortfalls owing to bad weather, while prices are also at record levels, brokers said. The average tea price at the Colombo auctions up to end-November of 369.38 rupees a kilo was […]

December 8, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka is set to import chicken for the first time in over two decades as consumption zooms due to a tourist bonanza and rising incomes on the formerly war-ravaged island, a minister said Wednesday. Trade Minister Johnston Fernando said he had ordered the import of 2,500 tonnes of chicken […]

Dec 02, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea export earnings hit a new high in October 2010 as shipments rose to their highest level in four years amid high prices, brokers said. Some of the BOP type teas rose by over 50 rupees a kilo. Prices of low grown teas, which make up the bulk […]

Nov 30, 2010 (LBO) – An increase in tax on Sri Lanka’s bulk tea exports is likely to reduce prices paid by buyers although it had no immediate impact owing to prevailing strong demand, brokers said. The cess on all other value added tea products will remain at 7. 50 rupees a kilo. “The 3.50 […]

Nov 22, 2010 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government intends to distribute among small farmers uncultivated land on tea estates operated by listed regional plantations corporations, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told parliament. The RPCs will be given six months’ notice to cultivate unused land, he said during a speech on the government budget for 2011. If […]

Nov 22, 2010 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government plans to raise taxes on exports of bulk tea and raw rubber in penalizing producers and restricting their market access in a bid to support value added production, the budget for 2011 said. President Mahinda Rajapaksa told parliament during his budget speech that the island has […]

Nov 15, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will call for expressions of interest internationally to hire advertising and media firms to handle a 10 million dollars a year Ceylon tea promotion campaign, a senior Tea Board official said. Other important but smaller markets are the Far East, Europe and North America. “That step (hiring an […]