By: Staff Writer
December 23, Colombo (LNW): While immediate relief efforts following Cyclone Ditwah have stabilised conditions across most plantation areas, industry stakeholders warn that short-term responses alone will not secure the future of Sri Lanka’s plantation sector. The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) says the disaster has once again exposed deep structural vulnerabilities that require urgent and coordinated intervention.
Plantation communities face a dual challenge: recovering from climate-induced shocks while navigating long-standing economic pressures. RPCs have ensured access to food, temporary shelter, and medical care for affected workers, with special attention given to children, the elderly, and those with existing health conditions. Yet, as damage assessments continue, the broader needs of the sector are coming into sharper focus.
One critical concern is estate housing and infrastructure. Many line rooms and access roads, already in poor condition, have suffered further deterioration. Without targeted public investment and concessional financing, RPCs may struggle to undertake large-scale rehabilitation while maintaining wage payments and essential welfare services.
Equally pressing is the impact on cultivations. Flooding, soil erosion, and prolonged water saturation threaten tea and rubber yields over the coming months. Replanting and land restoration are capital-intensive processes, and delays could weaken productivity in an industry that already lags behind regional competitors in yield per hectare.
Labour remains another structural challenge. Estate employment has steadily declined due to migration, ageing workforces, and rising living costs. Extreme weather events further discourage retention, making improved living conditions, healthcare access, and education facilities central to long-term workforce stability.
From a policy perspective, industry observers argue that disaster recovery must be integrated into a broader plantation reform strategy. This includes climate-resilient infrastructure, land-use planning to reduce exposure to landslides, and incentives for mechanisation and diversification. Greater coordination between RPCs, provincial authorities, and national agencies is seen as essential to avoid fragmented responses.
Export competitiveness is also at stake. Sri Lanka’s tea sector continues to rely heavily on premium branding, but quality and consistency depend on uninterrupted cultivation cycles. Recurrent disruptions risk eroding buyer confidence at a time when global demand is increasingly price-sensitive.
The PA has called for collaborative solutions involving Government agencies, development partners, and financial institutions to support both immediate rehabilitation and long-term adaptation. As climate volatility becomes the norm rather than the exception, the sector’s survival will depend not only on resilience in crisis but on reform in recovery.
Cyclone Ditwah, the PA notes, should serve as a catalyst prompting decisive action to secure livelihoods, protect exports, and future-proof one of Sri Lanka’s most historically significant industries.
