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Plantation
Development Forum on Oct 3 to highlight opportunities for
SMEs
The Strategic Enterprises Management Agency (SEMA) will be
organising a Plantation Development Forum on October 3, from
9 a.m.-12.30 p.m. at the Ceylon Continental Hotel, in order
to explain and popularise the concept of opening up opportunities
to the small and medium sector in State owned estates.
The Forum focusing on ‘Facilitating Entrepreneurs in
Plantation Development’ will expand and explain the opportunities
that outside investors can avail of from these lands and also
the possibility of facilitating the development of small extents
of land in these plantations through Public Private Partnerships.
Investors are expected to be benefited from intercropping,
dairy and livestock facilities, land availability, high ROI
and long lease periods, skilled labour forces and government
facilitation when investing in these State estates.
It will be targeting the small and medium sector to foster
Public Private Partnerships. Central Bank Governor, Ajith
Nivard Cabraal is due to speak on the Government Policy on
Development of State Plantations while Ministry of Public
Estate Management and Development Dr. Parakkrama Ekanayake
Bandara and SEMA Director Plantations, Dr. Sunil Jayasekara
are due to speak on the facilities to entrepreneurs and plantation
development opportunities available.
SEMA presently owns plantations in Colombo, Kurunegala, Kandy,
Matale, Nuwara Eliya and Puttalam to name a few. These estates
are presently being cultivated and utilised with plantation
crops such as coconut, tea, rubber, cashew, cocoa, etc. Even
though these valuable lands are systematically and scientifically
developed and managed, there are many opportunities available
related to subsidiary crops, livestock, forestry and eco tourism.
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