• Seeks to boost agricultural production before weather impacts hit
• Plans to raise export earnings ahead of January and April 2027
• Dy Minister says rainfall, drought effects cannot be fully prevented 

The Government is planning to increase agricultural export production as much as possible ahead of January and April of next year (2027), in an effort to recover potential losses caused by El Niño-related changes in weather conditions and increase export earnings before those impacts are felt, according to the Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development Ministry.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister R M Jayawardena said it is difficult to decide in advance exactly what measures would be needed for January and April because the weather conditions during those periods could vary. “We have to make decisions after looking at the conditions that could arise due to El Niño. This mainly affects agricultural export crops. When we consider agricultural export crops, at present, we are being told that it could rain or it could be dry. Therefore, it is difficult to say in advance that this is what we are going to do.”

He said that different institutions are already carrying out programmes to increase exports and the Government is trying to increase the production of agricultural export crops as much as possible before any adverse weather impact is felt. “Through that, we can increase the export revenue before the impact occurs.”  

He also said that it would be difficult in practical terms to completely prevent the effects of excessive rainfall or dry weather on agricultural export crops, making it important to increase production and export earnings beforehand. 

The comments come amid warnings about a possible El Niño-related weather pattern, which can bring significant changes in rainfall and temperature patterns. Such weather changes are important for Sri Lanka because agricultural production and exports can be affected by droughts, excessive rainfall and other weather-related disruptions. Agricultural exports also form an important part of Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange earnings, making the performance of crops such as tea, rubber, coconut, spices and other export-oriented agricultural products significant to the country’s external earnings.