Topic
Agriculture
1,763 speeches · 318 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Namal Karunaratne, M.P. JJB | 104 |
| 2 | Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, M.P. JJB | 93 |
| 3 | Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna, M.P. JJB | 83 |
| 4 | Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe, M.P. JJB | 48 |
| 5 | Hon. Kins Nelson, M.P. SJB | 39 |
| 6 | Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha, M.P. JJB | 37 |
| 7 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 32 |
| 8 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 32 |
| 9 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 32 |
| 10 | Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar, M.P. JJB | 30 |
Speeches
1,763 on this topic- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB AI summary Hon. Nishantha Perera welcomed the Minister’s reply and noted new allocations for tea replanting, infilling, and new planting. He emphasized the importance of Ceylon Tea as a key foreign exchange earner and questioned the Ministry on action taken to address past failures, citing an earlier project begun around 2014 and 2018 where significant investment, including about Rs. 5.1 billion for 163 hectares, had not yielded results or been recovered. Oral Question: Tea Replanting and Infilling (2014-2018) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB AI summary Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna provided a written response on tea replanting targets and achievements from 2014 to 2018 under the Smallholder Tea Development Authority and Sri Lanka Tea Board. He stated that payments had been made, with per-hectare assistance of Rs. 500,000 by the Tea Board and Rs. 630,000 by the STDA, disbursed in five instalments linked to stages of land preparation, soil rehabilitation, planting, and maintenance. He clarified that the queried remaining part was not applicable. Oral Question: Tea Replanting and Infilling (2014-2018) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB AI summary Hon. Nishantha Perera asked the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure to provide year-by-year data for 2014 to 2018 on the targeted and actual extent of tea land re-cultivated. He also requested details on whether subsidies were paid for such re-cultivation in first, second, and third instalments, and the manner of those payments, or reasons if they were not paid. Oral Question: Tea Replanting and Infilling (2014-2018) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB AI summary Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna responded that existing laws under the Ministry address concerns about refuse tea, while acknowledging public perceptions and alleged irregularities. He outlined the current legal processes for transporting, reprocessing, auctioning, and using purified refuse tea for instant tea production, and stated that the Ministry is focusing on reducing refuse tea output and improving tea quality for export and domestic markets. Oral Question: Refuse Tea Production in Tea Factories Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB AI summary Hon. Lal Premanath raised concerns that the refuse tea trade is affecting smallholder incomes and has developed both domestic and international demand despite being substandard and subject to seizures by Police and Sri Lanka Tea Board officials. He asked whether the Government would consider a lawful mechanism to supply such teas to consumers who seek them, or alternatively introduce and enforce stronger laws to stop illegal trafficking in refuse tea. Oral Question: Refuse Tea Production in Tea Factories Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB AI summary Responding to a supplementary question, the Minister provided monthly figures for January to May 2025 on refuse tea received and used by the instant CTC tea factory, which reprocesses refuse tea, along with instant tea output. He stated that receipts ranged from 533,333 kg to 758,700 kg per month, while instant tea production increased from 162,512 kg in January to 276,122 kg in May, with May usage including carryover stocks. Oral Question: Refuse Tea Production in Tea Factories Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB AI summary Asked whether instant tea factories that process refuse tea manufacture products in quantities corresponding to the refuse tea discarded by factories nationwide. Requested the Minister’s assessment of whether the full quantity is being processed and sought clarification on the related production volumes and quality standards. Oral Question: Refuse Tea Production in Tea Factories Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB AI summary The Minister responded to questions on refuse and reprocessed tea, stating that removal from factories is permitted only with Sri Lanka Tea Board approval for reprocessing or instant tea manufacture, and that exports of refuse tea are not legally permitted. He said the Tea Board allows export only of tea identifiable under Code 115 after testing, while Colombo Tea Auction lots are sampled and unsuitable tea is barred from sale. He further stated that possession, transport and sale of refuse or reprocessed tea require licences under the Tea Control Act, No. 51 of 1957, and illegal activity is addressed with the Police and Special Task Force. Oral Question: Refuse Tea Production in Tea Factories Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB AI summary Hon. Lal Premanath asked the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure about the handling of refuse or reclaimable tea produced in Sri Lankan tea factories, alleging that removal under Tea Board licences is not fully compliant with the law. He questioned whether such tea is being rebranded, sold at the Colombo Tea Auction, or exported illegally, thereby threatening quality assurance and the reputation of Ceylon Tea. He sought details on future measures, including whether exports of refuse tea would be prohibited or placed under Sri Lanka Tea Board supervision. Oral Question: Refuse Tea Production in Tea Factories Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna JJB AI summary Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna raised concern that co-operatives, including “Saubhagya” in Sabaragamuwa, are being established for various agendas, including political purposes. He asked when the ongoing investigation report could be presented and what legal action would follow. Oral Question: Registered Co-operative Societies and Banks in North-Central Province (Q. 845/2025) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development JJB AI summary The Minister provided details on registered co-operative institutions, stating that there are 178 multi-purpose co-operative societies, two co-operative bank societies, and related branches, and outlined the registration process involving legal compliance, capacity assessment, documentation, and recommendations from Co-operative Development Officers. He also gave information on the Saubhagya Co-operative Society Ltd. and the Anuradhapura District Rural Capital Development Co-operative Society Ltd., including their registration dates, numbers, and addresses, and stated that ownership rests with their members. He added that employee recruitment had been carried out by the respective Boards of Directors after interviews, with the Saubhagya society’s matter submitted to the Co-operative Employees Commission for approval. Oral Question: Registered Co-operative Societies and Banks in North-Central Province (Q. 845/2025) Read →
- 8 July 2025 The Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake JJB AI summary Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake raised a supplementary question on the Deduru Oya right bank canal project in the Polpithigama DS Division. He said residents allege that water connections intended for GNDs 201, 202, 204 and 205 were instead provided to GNDs 333, 334, 335, 344 and 345, possibly due to bias linked to past land disputes, and asked for the total expenditure incurred on the project so far. Oral Question: Drinking Water Supply Projects and Deduru Oya Reservoir (Q. 793/2025) Read →
- 30 June 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake welcomed the Government’s acknowledgement that all wage demands cannot be met through strikes, but urged stronger action to attract investment, including facilitating investors such as Sinopec and depoliticizing economic policy. He called for youth entrepreneurship, SME-led rice production to reduce imports, and productivity improvements in agriculture, citing lower paddy yields than regional competitors. Referring to IMF comments and the President’s statements on debt-servicing capacity by 2028, he argued that sustained reforms, fiscal discipline, better data, and accountable discretion for officials are necessary to make the current IMF programme Sri Lanka’s last. Debate: Motion to Adjourn on Fiscal Strategy Statement 2026 Read →
- 30 June 2025 Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP AI summary Hon. Namal Rajapaksa argued that the Government has moved away from its election platform by continuing IMF-linked and previous administration policies, particularly tax increases, without measures to raise incomes, support SMEs, or create jobs. He questioned the consistency and credibility of reported investment figures, GDP growth projections, and the status of promised reforms such as procurement digitization and transparent tendering. He also criticized policies on agriculture, imports, taxation, and gambling-related regulation as inconsistent, and asked how much of the 2025 Budget had been implemented and how the Government plans to meet external debt obligations, expand revenue, attract investment, and protect livelihoods. Debate: Motion to Adjourn on Fiscal Strategy Statement 2026 Read →
- 30 June 2025 The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB AI summary The Annual Report of the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority for 2023 was presented to Parliament. It was proposed and agreed that the report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability. Papers: Presentation and Tabling of Reports and Annual Reports Read →
- 30 June 2025 The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake presented the 2018 Annual Report of the Sri Lanka National Freedom from Hunger Campaign Board on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation. He moved that the report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability, and the motion was agreed to. Papers: Presentation and Tabling of Reports and Annual Reports Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe supported the revenue measures under the Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act but urged the Government to direct increased customs and vehicle import revenue towards development in the war-affected Northern and Eastern Provinces, particularly the East. He called for clearer details on Indian-funded development, pre-harvest Treasury allocations for paddy procurement, guaranteed prices, storage facilities, and paddy-drying machines for farming areas in Ampara District. He also criticised ruling-party Muslim MPs for disparaging past Muslim leaders, defended prior collective action against racism during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa period, and said the Opposition would support good governance while raising concerns affecting Muslim and Tamil communities. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Rohana Bandara AI summary Rohana Bandara alleged that the Government was using threats and political deals to secure local authority positions, citing the Galle Municipal Council and Medawachchiya Pradeshiya Sabha, and claimed officials and members were being pressured or induced to influence outcomes. He said the Opposition had acted openly in uniting against harmful government decisions, unlike what he described as government manipulation of procedures. He also raised concerns over dairy production, fertilizer pricing and availability, including urea packaging and import risks due to regional conflict, and asked for a contingency plan to protect farmers and the dairy sector. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha SJB AI summary Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha urged the Government to retain the Simplified VAT mechanism for exporters, arguing that its removal would harm cash flow in apparel, coconut, rubber, tea and other export sectors already facing post-COVID and supply pressures. He requested tax relief and incentives for pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Bingiriya Export Processing Zone, citing progress toward domestic production and exports. He also criticized the Government’s lack of local development and questioned its local council alliances, specifically calling for action on complaints and reports relating to the Kurunegala Municipal Council Deputy Mayor. He further asked the Minister of Power and Energy about delays in the Siyambalanduwa 100 MW solar project and the next Kerawalapitiya power project stage, saying stalled decision-making was holding back national progress. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Namal Karunaratne JJB AI summary Hon. Namal Karunaratne argued that Sri Lanka should increase domestic rice production rather than rely on imports, noting that current yields are difficult to achieve but remain below levels in other countries. He outlined the Ministry of Agriculture’s programme to raise yields through soil testing, crop- and soil-specific fertilizer application, quality seed supply, timely cultivation, and adoption of new technology. He stated that these measures are already being implemented and are expected to improve per-acre productivity over the next few seasons. Oral Question: Paddy Marketing Board - Purchase of Paddy (Q.310/2024) Read →