Sri Lanka Moves to Align Organic Agriculture Standards with Global Regulations to Boost Exports
Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe said Sri Lanka is taking decisive steps to strengthen its organic agricultural export sector by aligning national standards with international regulations, particularly to enhance export agriculture.
He made these remarks at an awareness workshop held at the Ramada Hotel, Colombo, yesterday on national organic agriculture standards. The workshop, titled “Awareness on the Proposed Changes in the Legal Framework of the National Organic Agricultural System in Sri Lanka,” was jointly organised by the National Organic Control Unit (NOCU) of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) in collaboration with the International Trade Centre–UK Trade Partnership Programme (ITC-UKTP).
Sri Lanka’s organic export sector has recorded steady growth over the past three decades, positioning the country as a trusted supplier in the global organic market. The global organic market is currently valued at approximately EUR 136.4 billion, while Sri Lanka earns over USD 500 million annually from organic product exports.
The sector comprises nearly 400 certified organic exporters operating under internationally recognised standards such as Sri Lankan Organic, EU Organic, USDA Organic, JAS, Demeter and Naturland. These cover more than 70,000 hectares of land and involve over 20,000 certified farmers.
NOCU, established under the Export Development Act No. 40 of 1979, functions as Sri Lanka’s Organic Control Body, ensuring effective monitoring and safeguarding the credibility of the country’s organic agriculture system in global markets. With international market requirements evolving rapidly, EDB–NOCU has identified the urgent need to upgrade the Sri Lankan Organic Standard and related regulations to secure mutual recognition with key international standards.
With technical assistance provided under the UK Trade Partnership Programme, Sri Lanka has begun revising its regulatory framework, starting with alignment to Great Britain’s organic regulations. This move is expected to pave the way for future recognition by the European Union and other strategic markets.
A key focus of the workshop was the recent revision of the national organic standard, SLS 1324:2025, by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI). This second revision, following earlier updates in 2018 and the original publication in 2007, introduces a comprehensive framework covering organic production, processing, packaging, labelling, transportation and marketing.
The revised standard introduces mandatory Organic Management Plans, strengthens soil-based crop production requirements, enhances livestock and aquaculture provisions, tightens processing and labelling controls, and clearly prohibits genetically modified organisms, ionising radiation and non-permitted synthetic inputs. It also incorporates social justice principles, emphasising fair labour practices and ethical business conduct.
Stakeholders were informed that the revised framework is expected to improve consumer confidence, strengthen traceability and integrity, and enhance Sri Lanka’s access to high-value international organic markets.
The Sri Lanka Standards Institution reaffirmed its commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture and encouraged all stakeholders to adopt the revised standard to ensure the continued growth and global competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s organic sector.
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