News & market updates

IMF has assured continued support for Sri Lanka after the cyclone and is closely engaging with authorities as a rapid post-disaster damage assessment proceeds; the Staff‑Level Agreement on the Fifth Review under the EFF remains on track ahead of a December 15 Board meeting. IMF staff are exploring additional support options pending assessment results.

Elpitiya Plantations PLC was named among the Top 10 Best Corporate Citizens of Sri Lanka at the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards 2025 and was 1st Runner-Up in Category B (under Rs. 15 billion revenue). The company also won the Category Award for Community Relations and a Merit Certificate for its rainwater-harvesting project.

IMF informed Sri Lanka it can access the next $350m EFF tranche within two weeks. Development partners pledged immediate humanitarian aid and to repurpose/provide concessional financing for medium- to long-term infrastructure, agriculture and tourism recovery after Cyclone Ditwah.

The UN is leading a Joint Rapid Needs Assessment with Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre after Cyclone Ditwah to map flood impacts and coordinate data collection; efforts prioritize food security and agriculture, livelihoods, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, shelter and early recovery.

About 563,950 hectares of Sri Lanka's Maha rice crop had been sown by 774,996 farmers when Cyclone Ditwah struck, leaving large areas submerged or waterlogged and causing substantial expected yield losses. Other field crops, vegetables, livestock and fisheries also suffered extensive damage.

Cyclone Ditwah left 829 dead or missing in Sri Lanka (479 confirmed dead, 350 missing) and displaced about 188,974 people. The storm damaged 44,556 houses (1,289 destroyed), inundated crops and tore up roads, rail tracks and the fibre-optic backbone, disrupting infrastructure and services.

World Bank Country Manager Gevorg Sargsyan said Sri Lanka can achieve the government's 7% GDP growth target but only with decisive second-generation reforms to dismantle trade barriers, boost productivity and mobilise private capital. He called for tariff cuts, customs modernisation, logistics fixes, commercial SOE reforms and deeper financial intermediation to convert investor interest in energy, logistics and food into commitments.

Cabinet approved an €8 million EU grant to implement the 'Agri-Green Initiatives for Green Economic Growth' project to promote sustainable agriculture in Sri Lanka's rubber-growing regions. GIZ will implement the project, targeting sustainable practices, food security and engagement of youth and women across several provinces.

Vegetable prices collapsed at the Dambulla fresh produce market after farmers flooded supplies following Cyclone Ditwah — green chillies fell to about 100 rupees/kg (from 200 that morning and 1,000 two days earlier) and carrots traded around 750 rupees/kg (vs 5,000 at peak). The drop followed roads reopening and excess supply, and the report warns past Consumer Affairs Authority price controls have previously disrupted farmers and markets.

The EDB, with IFC and the EU, concluded the second ExpoScaleUp pitching event under SLEEI 2025 to boost SME export readiness through training in market research, branding and logistics; selected SMEs will advance to ExpoConnect for market access and international buyer matchmaking.

The Management Club (TMC) announced the Northern Investment Summit for January 2026 to attract local and foreign investment to Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. The summit will spotlight agriculture, fisheries, IT, tourism, retail and energy and has endorsement/support from BOI, EDB, NEDA and other agencies.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said Sri Lanka will relax certain food import and quarantine controls after Cyclone Ditwah flooded rice paddies and disrupted transport to keep supplies flowing and manage prices. Authorities also plan farmer compensation, fertilizer support and seed/poultry imports.

Share split · 1:10 · XD Mar 9, 2026

Split issue

The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council appealed for support after Cyclone Ditwah, which has killed over 300 people, left hundreds missing and thousands homeless across Sri Lanka. CWEIC said its strategic partners stand ready to assist international recovery efforts.

Floods across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia have killed over 1,000 people in less than a week, including 335 in Sri Lanka. The widespread flooding is likely to disrupt tourism, plantations, healthcare and logistics in the affected countries.

CBSL said headline CCPI inflation was steady at 2.1% year‑on‑year in November 2025, unchanged from October. Food inflation fell to 3.0% y‑o‑y, core inflation edged up to 2.4%, and month‑on‑month CCPI dropped 0.23%.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon and Brown & Company PLC signed an MoU to offer special leasing facilities through the bank’s Agri Lease and Diribala Green Development Loan Scheme to help farmers acquire Browns Agriculture machinery; the program includes bundled benefits such as insurance, free servicing, IoT monitoring and warranties.

Sri Lanka will set up a joint public–private recovery fund to rebuild infrastructure after Cyclone Ditwah and has commissioned the World Bank to carry out a GRADE damage assessment expected within two weeks. A formal disaster declaration has been made to unlock international aid while the government seeks domestic and foreign support.

Dividend · Rs 1.50 · XD Dec 11, 2025

First Interim dividend of LKR 1.5/share; XD 2025-12-11; record 2025-12-11; payable 2025-12-31; FY Year ending 31st March 2026

The Disaster Management Centre reports 998,918 people across 25 districts have been affected by severe weather linked to Cyclone Ditwah, with 51,228 families (180,499 people) sheltered in 1,275 safety centres as flood and landslide impacts continue.

President Anura Dissanayake said Sri Lanka has Rs30 billion available for immediate disaster response and can seek further funds via supplementary estimates if needed. Cyclone Ditwah has downed power lines, blocked major roads and bridges, and flooded farmland including recently sown rice paddies.

Government will establish a post-disaster rebuilding fund managed by a joint public–private committee to finance reconstruction of highways, irrigation, houses and plantations; the World Bank's GRADE damage assessment is expected in about two weeks.

Prima Group, represented by Ceylon Grain Elevators Ltd (GRAN.N0000), donated over Rs. 300 million in dry rations to the Government on 30 November for distribution to flood-affected districts.

Flood levels in most rivers and downstream of reservoirs have stabilized or are easing after Cyclone Ditwah and major irrigation works have survived, though Trincomalee remains high and a 200m stretch of the Elahera anicut was washed away.

Cyclone Ditwah killed 212 people, left 218 missing and extensively damaged infrastructure and farmland across Sri Lanka. Authorities report 206 roads made impassable, 10 bridges damaged, a downed 132kV pylon and flooded farmland, leaving about 998,918 affected and 147,931 homeless with fresh-vegetable supplies to the capital disrupted.

Japan is sending a 4-member team including JICA staff and medical personnel to Sri Lanka to assess Cyclone Ditwah damage and coordinate relief; the cyclone has killed 159, 203 are missing and 833,000 people were affected.

Cyclone Ditwah killed 69, left 34 missing and affected 219,286 people, prompting evacuations and severe flood warnings while the Moragahakanda–Laggala Bridge was washed away. Authorities issued major flood warnings for eight rivers and warned of storm surges as reservoirs overflowed.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired the National Disaster Management Council to review the severe-weather emergency and ordered security, disaster and irrigation authorities to ensure uninterrupted rescue, strengthen reservoir monitoring, and expedite compensation and relief. He also asked agencies to speed fertiliser/seed distribution for farms and to safeguard services for tourists.

CBSL's Apr–Sep 2025 survey shows agriculture and personal loans led the strongest month-to-month turnaround in private sector lending, shifting from net repayments in May–June to sustained positive flows (agriculture: Rs.31–35bn in Jul–Aug; personal loans: Rs.60bn in June, 26.0% share in Sept).

UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka held CATALYZE 2025 on 24 November, convening business leaders including John Keells, Aitken Spence, Hemas, Hayleys, DIMO and Kelani Valley Plantations to discuss digital supply chains, gender equality, climate action, water stewardship and other sustainability priorities.