Elpitiya Plantations PLC: Advancing Sustainability, Innovation, and Diversification

Sustainability remains a key pillar of the Company’s long-term business strategy. Managing over 8,800 hectares of plantation land, Elpitiya Plantations PLC continues to integrate environmental, social, and governance considerations into its operations. The Company actively implements regenerative agriculture practices focused on improving soil health, biodiversity conservation, water management, and climate resilience

Elpitiya Plantations PLC is one of Sri Lanka’s leading Regional Plantation Companies, cultivating tea, rubber, oil palm, and several diversified crops across estates located in the High Grown, Mid Grown, and Low Grown regions of the country. As an associate company of Aitken Spence PLC, the Company continues to evolve beyond the traditional plantation business model through innovation, sustainability, diversification, and value addition.

The Company continues to strengthen its position as a diversified and future-focused business by integrating agriculture, renewable energy, sustainability, technology, and value-added consumer products into its operations. Through these initiatives, Elpitiya Plantations PLC aims to enhance operational resilience, improve profitability, strengthen environmental stewardship, and create sustainable value for stakeholders.

The Company continues to modernize plantation operations through improved agricultural practices, mechanization, and smart farming technologies. These initiatives are designed to address industry challenges such as labor shortages, fluctuating yields, and climate-related risks while improving productivity and operational efficiency across its estates.

A key strategic focus area for the Company is diversification into high-value agriculture and consumer-driven products. One of its most successful initiatives has been the commercial cultivation of premium berries in Sri Lanka. Through its flagship berry brand BerryMuch, Elpitiya Plantations PLC cultivates strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and gooseberries. These products are available at leading supermarkets and retail outlets in Colombo and have positioned the Company among the pioneers in Sri Lanka’s premium berry cultivation sector.

In addition to berries, the Company cultivates and markets tropical fruits including mangoes, pineapples, avocados, and durians for both local and export markets. Elpitiya Plantations PLC also continues to expand its portfolio of fruit-based value-added products including jams, toppings, pulps, beverages, and ready-to-drink products aligned with evolving consumer preferences and market trends.

The Company has further strengthened its presence in the spice sector through cinnamon cultivation and processing, targeting premium export markets including Europe. Today, its value-added product portfolio includes tea, cinnamon, treacle, honey, jams, beverages, and berry-based products marketed under its flagship brands Harrow Ceylon Choice, BerryMuch, and Tropifrut.

The Company’s retail outlet, Harrow House, located at its head office premises on Vauxhall Street, Colombo 2, serves as a platform to showcase and market all Elpitiya Plantations PLC brands directly to consumers. The Company has also strengthened its digital presence through its official website, www.harrowhouse.lk, enabling customers to explore its products and brands online.

Sustainability remains a key pillar of the Company’s long-term business strategy. Managing over 8,800 hectares of plantation land, Elpitiya Plantations PLC continues to integrate environmental, social, and governance considerations into its operations. The Company actively implements regenerative agriculture practices focused on improving soil health, biodiversity conservation, water management, and climate resilience.

As part of its innovation journey, Elpitiya Plantations PLC has introduced smart agriculture solutions including drone-based field monitoring and technology-enabled cultivation practices. These initiatives are expected to improve crop monitoring, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making across plantation operations.

Elpitiya Plantations PLC also maintains a strong commitment to renewable energy and decarbonization. Its renewable energy portfolio includes mini-hydro and rooftop solar projects with a combined generation capacity exceeding 4,100 KW, contributing towards Sri Lanka’s renewable energy transition goals while reducing the Company’s environmental footprint.

On the social front, Elpitiya Plantations PLC continued its strong focus on estate community development during the 2024/25 financial year, investing approximately Rs. 274 million across healthcare, education, childcare, women’s empowerment, and livelihood enhancement initiatives.

Among the key highlights was the establishment of Sri Lanka’s first elders’ home dedicated to retired estate employees, reflecting the Company’s commitment to employee wellbeing. In addition, Elpitiya Plantations PLC invested Rs. 2.6 million towards scholarship programmes benefiting 2,568 young individuals and distributed over 5,000 kilograms of estate-grown fruits and vegetables to surrounding communities as part of its nutrition support initiatives.

Recognizing the contribution of its workforce, Elpitiya Plantations PLC distributed Rs. 43 million as profit sharing during the financial year. The Company also contributed Rs. 439 million in taxes, supporting broader national economic development.

Elpitiya Plantations PLC continues to position itself as a diversified, innovation-driven, and sustainability-focused organization. By combining modern agriculture, renewable energy, value addition, and community development, the Company is steadily redefining the future of Sri Lanka’s plantation sector while creating long-term value for stakeholders, consumers, employees, and the environment.