The government has approved a scheme to lease 247 hectares of underutilized state plantation land to returning migrant workers and young entrepreneurs who have remitted foreign currency to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's government has unveiled a land-leasing initiative targeting returnee migrant workers and young entrepreneurs seeking to invest remittances back into the country. According to Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, approximately 247 hectares of underutilized plantation land will be made available under long-term lease arrangements. The land parcels originate from three state-owned entities: the Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation (117 hectares), the Janatha Estates Development Board (88 hectares), and Elkaduwa Plantations Limited (42 hectares).
Eligibility criteria prioritize individuals with substantial overseas work experience. Preference will be given to those who have worked abroad for at least three years within the past decade, or those currently employed overseas for over three years. Applicant age is restricted to a maximum of 50 years. Individual land allocations will range between 1 and 4 hectares, a limitation imposed to prevent excessive concentration of holdings among single investors.
The scheme encompasses a broad range of investment sectors beyond traditional plantation agriculture, including agricultural ventures, plantation-based tourism, livestock farming, renewable energy projects (hydroelectricity and solar), manufacturing operations, freshwater fisheries, and economic innovations. Jayatissa emphasized that the initiative targets small-scale investors rather than facilitating large-scale private acquisitions. The government's stated objective is to channel remittances from diaspora communities—particularly those in Korea, the Middle East, and Europe—into structured productive investments that strengthen the domestic economy.
