On 10 November 2026 a China‑backed tropical‑fruit training program opened in Sri Lanka’s Southern Province, aiming to improve banana, pineapple, and mango production.
The three‑day course, co‑organized by the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences and Hainan Province’s foreign affairs office, attracted agricultural technicians, researchers, students, and fruit farmers from the region.
The training will give participants lectures and field study opportunities on advanced cultivation and production methods for the three fruit types, according to Xinhua.
Wei Huaxiang, the Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka, said the program would deepen bilateral agricultural cooperation and offer Chinese solutions for sustainable development in Sri Lanka. He also hoped the course would bring more benefits to the Sri Lankan people.
W.L.O. Manel, an agricultural official from the Southern Province, noted that the training marks the beginning of broader prospects for cooperation between the two countries in the future.
The initiative follows a China‑FAO South‑South Cooperation Project that ran from April 2023 to September 2025. During that project, Chinese experts introduced farming practices such as fruit bagging and precise drip irrigation at ten demonstration sites, reportedly raising banana output by 70 % and increasing mango yield by over 50 %, while cutting fertilizer use by 72 %.
As of the launch, all details are confirmed by Xinhua; other outlets have yet to provide additional coverage or confirm further developments.
