Development of Sugar Industry in Sri Lanka

This paper presents the historical developments, existing situation and future outlook of the sugarcane industry of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has a vast potential for the development of the sugarcane industry in terms of availability of suitable lands and soils and climatic conditions, stable market and the required technical know-how. But the development of the industry in terms of production in relation to the country’s sugar and energy requirements for its food and energy security and contributions to the national economy in terms of income and employment generation has been below the potential. Creation of conducive economic environment by formulating and implementing sugarcane sector development policies with emphasis on integrated development of the industry is required. Production of short-duration dual-purpose cane, development of package of practices for facilitating mechanisation of all farming practices, development of bio-fertilisers and organic fertiliser to replace inorganic fertiliser, development of biological means for control of pests and diseases to minimise the environment hazardous chemicals, disposal of sugarcane industry wastes for the production of economically useful products and the diversification of the industry by developing value-added products based on sugarcane and its by-products are some of the areas of research for integrated and sustainable sugarcane industry development in Sri Lanka.