HNB supports Sri Lanka Coffee Festival 2025

• Honours legacy and opportunity in local coffee

HNB PLC extended its continued support to the island’s growing coffee industry as the official banking partner of Sri Lanka Coffee Festival 2025, held at the Kandy City Centre. 

Now in its fourth edition, the event marked 200 years since the introduction of commercial coffee cultivation to Sri Lanka, drawing stakeholders from across the coffee value chain. 

Organised by the Export Agriculture Department with the support from the Australian government’s Market Development Facility and Lanka Coffee Association, the festival served as a platform to showcase Sri Lanka’s unique highland-grown specialty coffees, support smallholder farmers and celebrate the country’s revival in premium coffee production. HNB’s participation reflects its deep-rooted commitment to developing Sri Lanka’s agribusiness sector. Through targeted financing and capacity-building, the bank continues to empower smallholder farmers and agri entrepreneurs across the island, with a focus on regions like the Central Highlands, which are pivotal to Sri Lanka’s specialty coffee revival.  HNB MD/CEO Damith Pallewatte said, “Coffee is part of Sri Lanka’s agricultural heritage and we see its resurgence as an opportunity for rural income growth, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.” 

This builds on the bank’s broader Sarusara initiative, a national platform for agri sector modernisation that connects farmers with regionally customised financial solutions, market access, technical advisory and digital tools. 

HNB Vice President Agribusiness Deepal Udukumbura added, “We believe in enabling agribusiness that drives inclusive growth. Supporting events like this festival allows us to align financial solutions with the needs of the entire coffee value chain, while contributing to Sri Lanka’s emergence as a specialty coffee destination.” 

The chief guest at the event was Central Province Governor Sarath Abeykoon, joined by Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Lalita Kapur and other dignitaries. Representing HNB were Regional Business Head Central Classification Public Region Bandula Monnekulama, Senior Manager Kandy Branch Danushka Rajapaksha and other senior officials from HNB Central Regional Office.