Tea smallholders record significant production increase through Dallakin Wenasak

Suranga Lakmal Edirisinghe, Matara

Kapil Rohan Widanapathirana, Galle

G.D. Thushara Saman, Ratnapura

Dallakin Wenesak, a private-public partnership program aimed at increasing the productivity of tea lands was a roaring success as tea smallholders recorded increases between 15% and 45% in their lands within a period of 12 to 16 months.

The novel initiative was spearheaded by CIC Agri Businesses in January 2024 together with the assistance of the Plantation Ministry, Tea Small Holders Development Authority, (TSHDA), Tea Research Institute (TRI), Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB), Tea Small Holders Society (TSHS) and the universities as a pilot project in the Galle, Matara and Ratnapura Districts targeting over 4,000 tea farmers. The aim of this public-private partnership project was to address the declining productivity of the tea lands.

Tea production in Sri Lanka is continuously declining, and the average productivity of tea lands is much less than the yields recorded in other tea growing countries. Continuous decline of tea crop productivity and the quality of green leaf is a serious concern for the Lankan tea industry. Currently, the national average tea yield (kg made tea/yea) is as low as 1,400 Kg/Ha compared to the global average which is 2,200 Kg/Ha. Aging of tea, bush debilitation, low replanting rate, poor adoption of GAPs, impact on climate change and labour shortage are found to be some of the key contributory factors to the lower yields.

Having identified the shortcomings and the gaps CIC Agri Businesses mobilised it’s extension staff and together with the TSHDA,TRI,SLTB and TSHS worked closely with the 4,000 tea farmers in the three districts educating and guiding them all the way with some of the best agricultural practices through structured trainings, soil testing, crop clinics and input packages that was aimed at improving the standard of plucking operations, proper management of shade trees, scientific management of soil and the tea bushes. A scientific evaluation of the project was executed by expert teams representing TRI, TSHDA and CIC Agri Businesses. A baseline survey before initiating the project, and an evaluation at the end of the project was also conducted. The evaluation was conducted with the data gathered from about 450 farmers of good performing clusters covering all the three districts.

The key outcomes of the project were evaluated in terms of adoption of good agricultural practices (GAPs) and yield increase achieved. Adoption of GAPs related to plucking, nutrient management, and soil moisture conservation, and weed control, shade and pest and disease management. These key agricultural practices that were poorly adopted prior to the project improved considerably. The farm record keeping practice which was hardly adopted prior to the project was very much improved. However what was most remarkable was the increase in yield recorded during this period. Some of the tea farmers increased their yields by 40-45%. The best model farmers and farmer clusters, including the best leader farmers of each district, were selected and attractive rewards were offered at a special ceremony held at the BMICH recently. 

Plantation and Community Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep together with several high ranking Government officials connected to the tea industry attended the event.

Speaking at the occasion CIC AgriBusinesses Managing Director Waruna Madwanarachchi expressed his sincere thanks to the Plantation Ministry and to all Government entities that came forward to support this pioneering venture and reiterated that CIC Agri Business will continue to involve actively with tea farmers and transform them to farmer entrepreneurs making them key contributors to the national economy.

The District winners were Suranga Lakmal Edirisinghe, Matara; Kapila Rohan Widanapathirana, Galle, and G.D. Thushara Saman, Ratnapura.