An Analytical Study of the Cultivation of Tea, Coconut, and Rubber in Sri Lanka During British Rule

With the independence of Sri Lanka from British rule, the country, having lost its agricultural-centric monarchy, introduced new economic policies aimed at maximizing the use of existing resources. The primary focus of these policies was the plantation industry. For the first time, a system of production based on small plots and smallholdings emerged, particularly through cinnamon cultivation. Sri Lanka’s plantation economy began to develop in the 1830s, with the British introducing coffee as the first major cash crop. Subsequently, the cultivation of other cash crops such as coconut, rubber, cinchona, cocoa, and sugarcane further integrated Sri Lanka into global trade and established a strong export-oriented economy. The study also examines the emergence of a capitalist society, especially following the Colebrooke Reforms of 1833. The objective of the research is to assess the impact of economic and social transformations on the indigenous population and to analyze how traditional self-sufficient communities transitioned into a more commercialized economy. This study employs a qualitative research methodology, which is considered the most suitable approach for this type of analysis. By the latter half of the 19th century, plantations had become the dominant sector of the Sri Lankan economy. The country shifted from a subsistence-based system to one heavily reliant on foreign investment and export-oriented agriculture.