The Planters' Association of Ceylon [PA], is one of the oldest exiting organisations from Sri Lanka's colonial past and remains the apex representative body of Sri Lanka's plantation industry. The industry remains one of the country’s largest foreign exchange earners and represents Sri Lanka's main plantation crop, tea, marketed internationally under the 'Pure Ceylon Tea' trade mark. The industry also represents other plantation crops such as rubber, coconut, spices and palm oil. To date, Sri Lanka's plantation industry is also the country's single biggest employer providing direct livelihoods to nearly 450,000 people in Regional Plantation Company[RPC] estates alone, excluding employment generated within the majority small holding sector. The industry supports a total resident plantation population of close to one million people, living in RPC estates, through the provision of housing and other essential facilities.
