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One and a half centuries of involvement in the economy of Sri Lanka will be celebrated on February 17, 2004 by the Planters' Association of Ceylon, the apex representative body of plantation crop producers. The Association, which celebrates its 150th anniversary on February 17, 2004, said it is seeking corporate sector support for a series of activities planned to commemorate this event.

"It can fairly be claimed that the story of Sri Lanka's economic expansion in much of the nineteenth century is the history of the Planters' Association of Ceylon," said the Association's Chairman Rohan Fernando . "We therefore feel it fitting that businesses that have been associated with the plantation sector be provided an opportunity to celebrate this epoch making event with us." Fernando said.

Details of plans for the commemoration released by the association include the launch of a coffee table book on the history of Sri Lanka's plantation industry, the issue of a special commemorative stamp, a sports tour of the island by a 40-strong team from the United Planters' Association of South India (UPASI) a simultaneous visit by a 10-member delegation from the Incorporated Society of Planters (ISP) of Malaysia, technical seminars on tea rubber and coconut and a gala dinner.

Planters' Association Secretary General Malin Goonetileke said several leading companies have already confirmed their decision to support these events financially. Plans are now being finalised by a committee tasked with organising the anniversary celebrations.

"Corporate sector entities may contribute to this event with donations of cash or by sponsoring scheduled events," Goonetileke said. "A detailed list of events and their requirements is now available at the Planters' Association for sponsors." He said. The Planters' Association of Ceylon was inaugurated in Kandy on February 17, 1854 by rubber planters of the day ".to have some organisation that would be able to speak authoritatively on their behalf and to deal with those responsible for the administration of the island." Since then, the plantation industry has faced more challenging adversaries than the blight which destroyed the coffee plantations just a few years after the Association was formed.

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