The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation has formally awarded commercial investment lease agreements for 650 acres of underutilized state plantation land across Monaragala today, September 30, 2026.

Under the national 'Saru Bimakata – Saru Savibala' agricultural investment framework, previously fallow terrain in Wellawaya, Buttala, and Bibile was allocated to vetted agribusiness firms committed to establishing organic spice plantations and high-tech value-addition processing plants. The project requires investors to integrate outgrower networks of local smallholder farmers, providing guaranteed minimum buy-back prices, certified organic fertilizers, and drip irrigation infrastructure. Land reform officials noted that converting underperforming state acreage into export-oriented spice zones will generate hundreds of rural agro-industrial jobs and boost foreign exchange earnings from processed cinnamon oils and pepper extracts.