President orders tighter oversight of agriculture spending ahead of 2027 Budget

Wednesday, 8 July 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday directed closer oversight of agricultural spending and project implementation ahead of the 2027 Budget, instructing officials to maximise the use of 2026 allocations, accelerate delayed foreign-funded projects and expand awareness of concessionary credit schemes for young entrepreneurs.

Chairing pre-Budget discussions on the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation at the Presidential Secretariat, the President reviewed the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 Budget by key institutions, including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Development, Department of Export Agriculture and the Institute of Post-Harvest Technology, while also assessing the Ministry’s funding requirements for next year.

The discussions also examined institutions requiring restructuring to improve efficiency and service delivery.

The President instructed that irrigation infrastructure currently managed by multiple institutions, departments and local authorities should be brought under a single district-level regulatory mechanism. He also called for a comprehensive mapping of irrigation rehabilitation projects underway across the country to improve coordination and monitoring.

As part of preparations for the 2027 Budget, the President directed officials to intensify efforts to promote concessionary bank loan schemes available to young entrepreneurs in the agriculture and industrial sectors to improve access to financing.

He also requested proposals for a more integrated management framework for agricultural extension services currently operating under different Ministries, while stressing the need for separate subject-specific discussions to strengthen coordination between Provincial Councils and the Central Government.

The President further instructed officials to submit new proposals aimed at expanding export agriculture and increasing value addition in agricultural products.

The meeting also reviewed the status of foreign loan-funded projects, many of which have exceeded their original completion schedules. The President directed officials to expedite implementation and said future externally financed projects should only be approved after clearly defining their expected outcomes.

Officials noted that delays in completing projects initiated in previous years had imposed a significant financial cost on the Government. It was decided that projects which had failed to meet implementation timelines would be reviewed.

The discussion also considered replacing long-running programs that have delivered limited results with more productive agricultural initiatives.

The meeting was attended by Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister K. D. Lalkantha, Labour Minister and Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando, Treasury Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Nandika Sanath Kumanayake and senior officials from the Finance and Agriculture Ministries.