Sri Lanka’s leading agri-business, Hayleys Plantations, demonstrated its commitment to innovation and sustainability at its second annual Management Symposium 2024 under the theme: “Intellectual Intervention & Innovation in Plantations towards Sustainability”.
The event, hosted at The Kingsbury Hotel, brought together key industry leaders, stakeholders, and visionaries to celebrate excellence in plantation management. The symposium featured 11 transformative initiatives from Kelani Valley Plantations PLC (KVPL), Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC (TTE PLC), and Horana Plantations PLC (HPL), all aimed at driving sustainable practices and empowering local communities.
In his address, Hayleys PLC Chairman and Chief Executive, Mohan Pandithage, emphasised the company’s focus on innovation, environmental sustainability, and community impact, stating: “The success of the Hayleys Group is built on principles of ethical business and sustainable innovation. Through such pioneering initiatives to share knowledge and best practices, Hayleys Plantations has once again demonstrated its continuing commitment to these foundational values, as enshrined in the Hayleys Lifecode.”
Meanwhile, Hayleys Plantations Managing Director, Dr. Roshan Rajadurai, highlighted the critical engagement of modern agri-business strategies as pivotal to industry success.
“The Sri Lankan plantation industry is approaching a critical juncture. To evolve and thrive, it is critical that we as a nation begin to view this industry from the lens of modern agri-businesses, and leverage sustainability and innovation to ensure that we adapt to shifting global and local dynamics. Our unwavering commitment to these principles has enabled each company in the Hayleys Plantations sector to stand as a global benchmark for quality.
“Through holistic approach to total systems management and a focus on empowering our people, we continue to raise the bar for overall business performance while creating continuous value for the communities connected to our industry, and all other stakeholders,” Dr. Rajadurai explained.
This sentiment resonated through the winning presentations of various innovative projects, such as Dewalakanda Estate’s value addition initiative, which aims to increase factory Net Sales Average (NSA) by 10% while reducing manufacturing costs by 20%. Great Western Estate highlighted processes that secured the highest gross sale average in the Western High Grown category, while Gouravilla Estate introduced sustainable tea nursery management using bamboo pots.
Other notable initiatives included Ederapola Estate’s solutions for rubber crop loss in non-rain-guarded fields and Radella Estate’s comprehensive nutrition program, which has improved worker health and productivity. Frocester Estate’s production of white coconut oil from small, desiccated coconuts demonstrated the broad range of innovative practices being implemented across the group’s estates.
The plantation sector, with its 150-year legacy, has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years, necessitating bold innovation and adaptive strategies. Hayleys Plantations’ efforts to foster grassroots-driven solutions have set benchmarks in overcoming these challenges and paving the way for a sustainable future.
During his address Dr. Samantha Rathnayake, Senior Faculty/Lecturer at the Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and Chairman of the Technical Evaluation Committee and Judging Panel for this year’s Symposium, highlighted the importance of grassroots innovation. “The real strength of today’s symposium lies in its grassroots approach. When estate teams share their experiences we see innovation that comes from a deep understanding of their daily challenges.
“Tangible improvements on the ground are visible. Such improvements result in a stronger bottom line, and a better quality of life for workers. This is how we drive meaningful change in the plantation sector – by empowering teams to solve real problems and share those solutions.”
The symposium included an awards ceremony recognising contributions to innovation and sustainability. A panel of judges provided valuable insights throughout the event, celebrating the estates’ achievements in sustainable plantation management.
Hayleys Plantations remains committed to fostering innovation and sustainability within the sector and aims to expand the symposium’s scope to encourage more impactful initiatives in the coming years.
