Category: Agriculture

Feb 23, 2010 (LBO) – Production of tea, Sri Lanka’s main export crop, showed a return to normal levels in January as the industry recovered from the effects of drought and labour action that sharply reduced output last year. The Tea Board has said it expects annual tea production this year to be more than […]

Feb 19, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea prices eased at the Colombo auctions this week but are still at record highs being much higher than last year both in rupee and dollar terms, brokers said. But the Western quality season, which is during this time of year, has yet to set in because of […]

Feb 18, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan coconut products exporter Coco Lanka has said it plans to expand and is holding talks with companies it had identified for possible takeover. Finance costs reduced sharply in both the quarter and the nine-month period, the accounts showed. According to a segmental analysis of the business for the […]

Feb 12, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has asked Russia, the biggest importer of Ceylon tea, to reduce import duty on value-added tea exports, a senior minister said. Export Development and International Trade Minister Gamini Peiris said the issue was discussed when Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa held talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev […]

Feb 11, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka™s Kelani Valley Plantations said higher tea and rubber crops and prices in the December quarter had helped reduce losses although it still ended 2009 in the red. The company, part of the Hayleys group, said it made a profit of 179 million rupees in the December quarter compared […]

Feb 06, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka™s Tea Board has chosen MTI Consulting, a management consultancy, to develop a strategy to promote Ceylon tea, the island™s main commodity export. The Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) said it chose the firm after a year-long competitive evaluation process. Tea is Sri Lanka™s second largest export earner next […]

Feb 05, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has wrapped up a deal to get a 16 million dollar loan from the OPEC Fund for International Development for an irrigation project in the island’s central region, a senior minister said. The Kalu Ganga (river) development project is part of the Moragahakanda development program, information minister Anura […]

Feb 05, 2010 (LBO) – Heavy rains in some of Sri Lanka™s tea growing regions have delayed the onset of the quality season when plantations companies get high prices for their teas, brokers said. Prices fell at this week™s auction as larger volumes went on sale but sale quantities are expected to decline as dry […]

Feb 05, 2010 (LBO) – A Sri Lanka state agency is to be given money to buy 140,000 metric tonnes of paddy produced in the upcoming main cultivation season to maintain farm-gate prices, a government minister said. Sri Lanka has high rice prices and from late December the government brought down high import tariffs to […]

Feb 03, 2010 (LBO) –Sri Lanka™s Hayleys conglomerate is building a factory in the former war zone in the east to increase exports of pickled gherkins to food companies such as McDonald™s and Burger King. The partnership will open up new markets for farmers in the east, increase their incomes and expand the economic base […]

Feb 02, 2010 (LBO) – High tea prices helped Sri Lanka’s Horana Plantations to make a profit of 75 million rupees in the December, according to accounts filed with the stock exchange. Horana Plantations said the wage deal was effective from April 2009 and that wage arrears amounting to 68.05 million rupees has been recognised […]

Feb 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Chemical Industries (Colombo) has returned to profit in the December 2009 quarter helped by a 250 million rupee past due payment from the government. In its annual report last year the firm said Chemcel (Pvt) Ltd, would make a speciality chemical with a US partner and was held […]