Govt Rules Out Sale of State Farms, Pledges Revival

COLOMBO (News 1st); The government will not sell state-owned agricultural resources but will instead focus on proper management and revitalization, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne said.

Speaking at an event, Karunaratne revealed that previous administrations had prepared plans to sell 32 state farms covering 28,802 acres, along with five milk factories and 92 centers.

However, he stressed that the current government has completely abandoned those plans.

“We will not sell a single asset to any country, nor will we allow anyone else to do so. These resources are part of our national identity. We have already initiated programs to develop and promote them with the participation of the local private sector,” Karunaratne said.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the government’s stance is to manage and modernize these assets to strengthen the agricultural sector and ensure food security.