THE PLANTERS’ ASSOCIATION OF CEYLON

The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) was inaugurated over 150 years ago, on 17 February 1854 by the private planters of the day – “…to have some organization that would be able to speak authoritatively on their behalf and to deal with those responsible for the administration of the island.”

Since then, the PA, which was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1916, flourished. Throughout the colonial period and even after independence, right up to the nationalisation of estates in 1975, it certainly lived up to the expectations of its founders and spoke with authority to the administrators and law makers of the island.

The PA was an organization to reckon with and its authority and influence in the seats of power, during that period, were well known and undisputed. The Headquarters of the PA were moved from Kandy to Colombo in 1947, so as to be nearer those seats of power and for greater efficiency in the numerous and wide ranging activities in which the PA was actively involved. Public companies (sterling and rupee) became the major factor in the membership of the PA.

With the nationalisation of estates under the Land Reform Law, management of estates was taken over by the state and the functions of the PA were severely curtailed. However, the PA continued with its restricted activity from 1975 servicing a few proprietary estates until the wheel turned full circle, when in 1992 the government decided to hand back the estates to the private sector, initially on a management contract. Subsequently the plantation sector was fully privatised, with the government selling the majority of shares of the plantation companies to the private sector.

Following the privatisation of the state plantation corporations, the PA has re-emerged as the voice of the plantations in Sri Lanka. Apart from being the apex body of 9 district level planters’ associations, it represents the interests of the large privatised plantation companies who manage over 400 tea and rubber estates between them as well as the smaller proprietary plantations. In this new dimension, it serves as the vital link between the plantation industry and the government.

Despite the changing situation, the PA’s main function continues to be that of protecting / promoting the interests of its members. As part of its policy, the PA’s actions and representations are directed at enhancing the industry’s credibility and image in the eyes of the government and the public.

Membership

The membership of the Association encompasses all sectors of the plantation industry and includes the large estates managed by the privatised Regional Plantation Companies as well other private companies, private owners of estates and factories, proprietary planters, agricultural produce brokers, plantation engineering firms, agricultural advisors etc involved in the main tree crops of tea, rubber and coconut, as well as other products. The field was recently widened to include forestry and horticulture.

SOME MILESTONES OF THE PLANTERS’ ASSOCIATION

17 February 1854 Founding of the Association

29 June 1897 Laying of the foundation stone of the Association’s first permanent headquarters

17 February 1900 Opening of the Victoria Commemoration Building, Kandy, as the Association’s headquarters

1916 Incorporation of the Association

1941 Demolition of the Association’s headquarters and shifting to temporary accommodation at the Queen’s Hotel, Kandy.

1947 Shifting of headquarters to temporary accommodation in Colombo

4 February 1948 Independence of Ceylon from Great Britain

29 March 1957 Opening of Lawn House, Colombo, as new headquarters

1975 Nationalisation of estates; take over of Association’s Headquarters in Colombo

October 1985 First issue of Association newsletter

1992 Privatisation of estates begins

December 2001 First issue of Plantation World quarterly magazine

9 August 2007