A significant partnership between Sri Lanka‘s Department of Export Agriculture (DEA) and Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF) is set to transform the island nation’s growing specialty coffee sector. An agreement made at the recent fourth annual Sri Lanka Coffee Festival on July 8th and 9th, 2025, in Kandy will lead to the creation of a detailed plan aimed at promoting the industry’s growth and international reputation. A key moment was the official launch of a commemorative stamp by the DEA, celebrating two centuries of coffee cultivation on the island.
The newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the DEA and MDF signifies a partnership meant to provide a clear direction for the specialty coffee sector. The roadmap described by MDF will thoroughly examine the current market situation, identify problems, and outline important steps for ongoing development. In addition to strategic planning, MDF has pledged to support the DEA in improving coffee processing quality, offering relevant training, and sharing MDF-created training materials directly with farmers and processors.
The Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka reaffirmed Australia’s strong commitment to Sri Lanka’s coffee journey, which began in 2017 with MDF’s involvement. Kapur noted that sectors like coffee have shown the benefits of increased private investment, including higher exports and improved foreign exchange earnings for Sri Lanka. She also expressed her pleasure at the festival’s growth and acknowledged the DEA’s significant support for celebrating local coffee, connection, and opportunity.
Damayanthi Samarasinghe, Director General of the DEA, emphasized that Sri Lanka’s coffee sector is at a crucial point. She stated that the DEA was proud to lead its revival. With coffee now recognized as a priority crop, supporting the Coffee Festival underscored the department’s commitment to restoring its status as a globally recognized export. Through partnerships with MDF and the Lanka Coffee Association (LCA), the DEA aims to promote high-quality production and create a national plan that will open new trade and investment opportunities, including stronger ties with markets like Australia.
The festival showcased the growing collaboration within the industry, representing a new chapter in public-private partnerships. The DEA combined its annual Coffee Day celebrations with the LCA-MDF flagship event, the LCA Sri Lanka Coffee Festival. Kushan Samararatne, Chairperson of the LCA, remarked that the festival marked a major turning point for the industry, with the DEA co-hosting the event. He explained that one of the main goals of forming the association four years ago was to unify the sector and coordinate the efforts of all stakeholders for better development. He stated that this collaboration shows the substantial progress the industry has made in a short time and highlighted the developing coffee culture in Sri Lanka, which he believes is becoming an important specialty coffee-growing nation.
A notable highlight of the festival was the virtual attendance of Sunalini Menon, president of Coffeelab, India, often referred to as “Asia’s First Lady of Coffee.” She shared her valuable global insights with the Sri Lankan industry, marking her first participation in an event in the country. Her presence, arranged by MDF, was considered an important step in raising local coffee standards.
The festival included a rich program featuring interactive panel discussions, hands-on barista training, and live demonstrations of brewing techniques by experts. The DEA also recognized excellence in the industry by presenting awards in several categories, including Best Farmer and Best Processor, and celebrated the artistic talents of schoolchildren with a coffee art competition. Participants had the chance to taste the island’s best brews at a dedicated coffee tasting expo, showcasing various locally grown specialty coffees. The event attracted significant commercial interest, with Colombo Coffee Company as the Gold Sponsor and Hatton National Bank as the official Banking Partner, further emphasizing the growing potential of Sri Lanka’s specialty coffee sector.
