President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that future incentives will be introduced to promote export diversification and the development of value-added products.
He stressed that the role of governments is to support industries rather than hinder them and highlighted the importance of consulting with relevant sectors when drafting regulations, ensuring sufficient time is provided for effective implementation.
The President made these remarks yesterday (29) during the 2026 pre-budget discussion with private sector representatives from the agriculture and food & beverage sectors at the Presidential Secretariat, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).
The discussion covered areas such as providing facilities for farmers, tax concessions, exports, recycling, and the legal environment affecting the sector. Participants also shared views on challenges faced by businesses and the need to ensure a steady supply of quality agricultural and food products to consumers.
The President noted that while producers typically determine product prices, in agriculture it is often consumers who dictate prices due to weaknesses in the industry’s pricing mechanisms. He also pointed out the lack of a systematic distribution network, stressing the need for stronger cooperation between the government and private sector to resolve these issues.
He further stated that the government aims to secure full private sector support to expand markets for agricultural produce, dairy, and livestock products. While entrepreneurs must take responsibility for adding value, the government intends to introduce a new framework to facilitate this process.
Special attention was given to the livestock industry, which continues to face challenges in productivity due to its failure to evolve into a structured small and medium-scale sector. The meeting also discussed strengthening livestock production and formalizing distribution systems.
The session was attended by Secretary to the Treasury Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russell Aponsu, Export Development Board Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe, officials from the Ministry of Finance, and leading private sector representatives from the agriculture and food & beverage industry.
