Cyclone Ditwah causes Rs. 33.9 b blow to manufacturing sector

• Bulk of losses stems from damage to raw materials and inventory estimated around Rs. 10.2 b; significant losses reported from revenue disruptions and damage to machinery and equipment
• Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry concludes first phase of Industry Revival Facilitation Program to support firms hit by Cyclone Ditwah; 43 affected industries receive assistance 
• Recognises private sector leaders for supporting revival of industries

Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector suffered an estimated Rs. 33.96 billion in economic losses following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the country in late November 2025, according to preliminary assessments by the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry.

It was noted that the bulk of the losses stemmed from damage to raw materials and inventory, which alone accounted for around Rs. 10.2 billion, while significant losses were also reported from revenue disruptions and damage to machinery and equipment.

Flooding of factories in several industrial zones rendered machinery inoperable, interrupted production processes, and caused widespread supply chain disruptions, posing major operational challenges for affected industries, it added.

In the third quarter of 2025, industrial activities’ contribution to GDP was 27.7% and amounted to over Rs. 2.3 billion at current prices, according to the Department of Census and Statistics. The estimated Ditwah hit is less than 2% of this.

Against this backdrop, the first phase of the Industry Revival Facilitation Program (IRFP), launched to assist industries affected by the Cyclone Ditwah disaster that struck Sri Lanka in late November 2025, concluded on Tuesday under the patronage of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe.

The initiative, introduced in December 2025 by the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry together with the Industrial Development Board (IDB), was implemented as a public–private partnership (PPP) to support industries impacted by the disaster. 

Through the program, 43 affected industries received assistance with the support of several leading private sector organisations.

During the event, the Ministry recognised and honoured the private sector partners for their timely support in helping industries recover from the disruption caused by the cyclone.

Special appreciation was also extended to several individuals who voluntarily contributed their expertise in establishing the Industry Disaster Support Centre (IDSC), which helped create a centralised database and digital data collection system to document and assess the impact on industries.

Those recognised included Cloud Syntex Ltd., Director and Head of Digital Solutions Thilina Kurukulasuriya, Floodsupport.org Founder Ranga Dayawansha, eLearning.lk Ltd., Founder and CEO Sanjay Elvitigala, and Shageevan Sachithanandan.

The Ministry also announced that it is preparing to launch the Industry Development Foster Program (IDFP), aimed at supporting the longer-term recovery and development of industries identified during the post-disaster assessments.

The event was attended by Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry Secretary Thilaka Jayasundara, Additional Secretary Anoja Herath, and representatives from leading private sector organisations including John Keells Holdings PLC, Expo Lanka Holdings PLC, Nestlé Lanka PLC, Unilever Sri Lanka, Toyota Lanka Ltd., Hayleys PLC, MAS Holdings, Hemas Holdings PLC, Prima Group/Ceylon Agro Industries Ltd., Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC, Brown & Company PLC, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd., Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC, the Hirdaramani Group, and Brandix Lanka Ltd., along with several Ministry officials.