In brief
China and Sri Lanka opened a three‑day tropical fruit training program in southern Sri Lanka on 10 November 2026. The course, coordinated by the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences and Hainan’s foreign affairs office, focuses on advanced seedling propagation and efficient production methods for banana, pineapple and mango. Chinese ambassador Wei Huaxiang pledged to deepen agricultural cooperation, highlighting the success of a 2023‑2025 China‑FAO South‑South project that boosted yields and cut fertilizer use.
The Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences and the foreign‑affairs office of China’s Hainan Province launched a three‑day training course on tropical fruit seedling propagation and high‑efficiency production techniques in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka on 10 November 2026.
The three‑day session, held at a training centre in southern Sri Lanka, will bring together agricultural technicians, researchers, students and fruit farmers from the region to learn about advanced cultivation methods for banana, pineapple and mango.
Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka Wei Huaxiang, who addressed the launch ceremony, said the course would "further expand exchanges and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka in the field of tropical agriculture, contribute Chinese solutions to the sustainable development of Sri Lanka's agriculture, and bring more benefits to the people of Sri Lanka."
According to the officials, the training will include both lectures and field‑study opportunities so that participants can see the practical application of new technologies.
W.L.O. Manel, an agricultural official of the Southern Province, added that the training marks the "beginning of broader prospects for agricultural cooperation between the two countries in the future," emphasising the already solid foundation for collaboration.
China’s involvement in tropical‑fruit development in Sri Lanka is not new. From April 2023 to September 2025, Chinese experts participated in a China‑FAO South‑South Cooperation Project that introduced practices such as fruit bagging and precise drip irrigation to local farmers across ten demonstration sites.
The project was reported to boost banana output by 70 percent, raise mango yields by more than 50 percent and cut fertilizer use by 72 percent.
Participants in the current training will revisit some of these techniques and look at how to scale them for larger operations in the Southern Province.
Local farmers who attended the previous FAO project said that the new irrigation methods helped them produce high‑yield fruit with less chemical input.
Experts from the Chinese Academy noted that the knowledge transfer is being adapted to Sri Lanka’s specific climate and soil conditions.
According to bureau officials, the three‑day curriculum covers the entire lifecycle of tropical fruit production, from seedling selection and seedling‑to‑fruiting time optimisation to post‑harvest handling and market preparation.
In addition to scientific sessions, participants will view onsite demonstrations of banana bagging, pineapple litter management, and mango canopy pruning techniques that were highlighted in the 2023‑2025 project.
The ambassador likely hinted at future expansions of the training to include additional fruit species and integration of agro‑digital platforms for monitoring crop health.
While the program concentrates on banana, pineapple and mango, the Chinese Academy said it could open pathways for collaborating on other tropical crops in the future, such as papaya, lychee, and guava.
Ambassador Wei said "Chinese solutions have a proven track record in enhancing sustainable agriculture in developing nations, and Sri Lanka is an ideal partner for further cooperation".
Even the local government is optimistic. The Southern Province agricultural department plans to follow up on the training with a pilot project to measure yield changes in participating farms after the course.
Chinese experts expect that the training will support Sri Lanka’s 2030 climate‑adaptation targets by improving crop resilience and reducing resource intensity.
The training represents a continuation of the China‑Sri Lanka partnership initiated at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals summit three years ago.
Industry analysts note that successful implementation of the training could position Sri Lanka as a major exporter of tropical fruit to Chinese markets, increasing foreign exchange earnings for the island state.
Both parties are looking to secure a joint research grant to evaluate the economic impact of the techniques taught in the training.
Overall, the launch of the tropical fruit training course signals a deepening of bilateral agricultural ties, the potential for higher yields and reduced environmental impact, and a commitment from both nations to sustain food security in the face of a changing climate.
