Plantations & Agriculture

Sri Lanka’s economy has traditionally been agriculture-based, but several centuries of international trade – and the introduction of tea, rubber, and coffee cultivation by the UK – have altered the sector’s makeup significantly. After independence in 1948, the economy remained highly dependent on trade, with tea, rubber and coconut making up the bulk of exports, even while many Sri Lankans continued rice cultivation for domestic consumption using ancient reservoirs and paddy irrigation systems. Despite its generally strong economic growth since the end of the civil conflict in 2009, challenges still face the industry. Indeed, cultivation methods and post-harvest losses often result in low yields, productivity and profitability, which threaten to undermine growth and long-term potential. This chapter contains an interview with Mufaddal Jafferjee, Director, Jafferjee Brothers.