Sri Lanka has presented US$65.1 million worth of investment opportunities in high-value agricultural exports, targeting technology-driven companies to transform traditional commodities into premium products for global markets.
The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) showcased four investment-ready value chains covering Ceylon cinnamon, coffee, black pepper and sea cucumber at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum 2026, held in Rome from October 13 to 16.
BOI Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa led the Sri Lankan delegation, accompanied by Director General Dr Sulakshana Jayawardena. The presentation, titled “Unlocking Premium Export Markets through Value Addition and Product Differentiation”, highlighted opportunities to expand beyond bulk commodity exports by investing in advanced processing, biotechnology, product research and premium branding.
The proposed investments are expected to generate approximately 21,100 direct beneficiaries and more than 84,000 indirect beneficiaries, with a blended internal rate of return of 26%. The four opportunities comprise US$20 million for Ceylon cinnamon-based nutraceuticals, US$29.4 million for specialty coffee, US$7.5 million for black pepper processing and extraction, and US$8.2 million for commercial sea cucumber aquaculture. Cinnamon offers the highest projected return of 35.4%, while the coffee investment is expected to generate a 23.3% return. The BOI highlighted the potential of DNA authentication, chemical profiling and advanced extraction technologies to establish differentiated products for the health, wellness, pharmaceutical and beauty industries.
Ceylon cinnamon’s naturally low coumarin content, black pepper’s piperine and sea cucumber-derived marine collagen were identified as opportunities to develop higher-value export products. The global botanical extracts market, valued at approximately US$30 billion in 2024, is projected to reach US$64.6 billion by 2034.
The BOI invited international investors to establish value-added operations in Sri Lanka, combining local agricultural resources and traditional knowledge with advanced technology and global market access. The initiative aims to retain more export value domestically while expanding opportunities for farmers and rural communities.
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