Sri Lanka's government has approved additional funding of Rs. 237 million to accelerate the 'Ceylon Tea Village' project, which seeks to establish 500 tea villages nationwide as part of broader efforts to boost tea production and export revenues.
The Government announced a substantial financial allocation on Tuesday to advance implementation of its 'Ceylon Tea Village' programme, which was launched on July 15. Plantation and Community Infrastructure Minister Samantha Vidyarathna chaired a review meeting to discuss expansion plans for the initiative, which targets the creation of 500 tea villages across the country.
The Rs. 237 million budget boost comprises two main components: Rs. 68 million designated for the Small Tea Estate Development Authority to establish demonstration tea cultivations in the first 144 tea villages, and Rs. 169 million from the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment for setting up quality tea nurseries. According to the Ministry, 144 tea villages have already been operational nationwide, with each expected to develop its own tea nursery and model cultivation plot.
The initiative forms part of the Government's broader agricultural development strategy, aiming to increase Sri Lanka's tea production to 400 million kilogrammes while raising tea export earnings to US$2.5 billion by 2030. To ensure coordinated execution, the Ministry has established a three-tier committee structure comprising national, regional, and village-level bodies to oversee the programme's implementation.
