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Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Wednesday, 10 September 2025

10th Parliament· 16 debates· 161 speeches· 64 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1758017450079419 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  9. 9 Oral question Oral Question: Tea Smallholder Contribution to Production (Q.1/2024) 8 speeches
    • The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB

      AI summary In response to a parliamentary question, the Minister tabled data showing tea smallholders consistently contributed around 74–78 per cent of Sri Lanka’s made tea production from 2015 to 2024, with 418,989 smallholders estimated as at 31 December 2024. He identified the main public institutions serving the sector, including the Ministry, Tea Small Holdings Development Authority, Sri Lanka Tea Board, Tea Research Institute and National Plantation Management Institute. He also tabled details of their functions, including policy coordination, grants for replanting and new planting, fertilizer subsidies, extension services, research support, nursery and trading regulation, infrastructure support and training programmes.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Requested the Minister to table the detailed answer and specifically identify recent measures taken to support tea smallholders.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB

      AI summary Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna outlined support measures for plantation crop development, including replanting grants of Rs. 630,000 per hectare, new planting grants of Rs. 500,000 per hectare, and crop rehabilitation assistance of Rs. 100 per plant subject to acreage limits. He also stated that a Rs. 4,000 fertilizer subsidy is provided per 50 kg bag, with Rs. 2,800 million allocated for 2025, and that private nurseries are regulated to ensure quality planting material. The remaining details were tabled.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi questioned the Minister on the decline in tea production from around 340 million kg in 2013–2014 to about 260 million kg, attributing it largely to past fertilizer policy and reduced yields. He argued that the Rs. 4,000 fertilizer subsidy per bag is insufficient, noted the closure of over 200 tea factories, and asked what concrete plan exists to prevent smallholders, particularly in Ratnapura, from abandoning the tea industry.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Nalin Hewage JJB

      AI summary Hon. Nalin Hewage attributed declines in plantation and agricultural production to earlier policy measures, including the fertilizer ban, and said fertilizer subsidies, including for coconut, have been restored. He stated that a National Plantation Policy is being prepared and outlined a five-year tea strategy targeting production increases from 262 million kg last year to 275 million kg this year and 400 million kg by 2030. He also said support for smallholders will include replanting, fertilizer assistance, improved plucking technologies, and modern equipment.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi raised concerns about the tea sector, noting its major contribution to export earnings and arguing that targeted interventions could further expand it. He asked the authorities to address growers’ complaints about fertilizer quality and timely supply. He also alleged that some state-leased estates, including Egbert Estate in Kolonna under Maturata Plantations, had moved away from tea into hotels, subleasing and mining, and called for monitoring and corrective action against such practices.

      Land & HousingAgriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB

      AI summary Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna addressed fertilizer complaints by stating that beneficiaries will be allowed to use subsidies with multiple suppliers and that QR codes will be introduced next month to improve timely access. He noted rising tea export earnings, citing an increase from USD 331 million to USD 434 million in the first five months compared with the previous year. He also said the Government is acting to bring underutilized estate lands into productive use through investor leases for cultivation and tourism-related rehabilitation, while warning that idle lands may face interim levies or further government action.

      AgriculturePublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →