The Sri Lankan Ministry of Agriculture has initiated an initiative to cultivate Australian “Hass” varieties of avocado to boost exports to the foreign market. Dharma Wanninayake, Agriculture Ministry Media Secretary: “Under the agricultural sector modernization program our current focus is on the Hass variety and are hoping to further expand it.”

“Initially we’ve decided to select 200 acres of land within the Badulla district to cultivate avocados,” Wanninayake said. “We anticipate to create valuable products using this land, and our goal is to present this idea to entrepreneurs working in this sector.”

A one Hass avocado tree can produce approximately 200 kilograms of fruits per hectare, with the first harvest expected to be in 2026. Sri Lanka has been desperate to boost its earnings from exports and fresh fruits are often viewed as one of the ways for boosting exports. The country has already exported a substantial amount of coconut, tea cinnamon, rubber, and tea.