Govt. to boost plantation sector revenue

by Chanuka Mannapperuma In Talawakelle

Minister of Plantation Industries, D.M Jayaratne said that the Government plans to increase revenue from the plantation sector and step up agricultural production above 22 percent.

He was addressing officials of the Tea Research Institute (TRI) in Talawakelle last week. He said the focus was to shift, from a commodity based market to a consumer market, in the tea sector with value addition and brand promotion.

Regional plantation companies are being encouraged to diversify into high yielding crop production and investment in horticulture, fruits, vegetables,spices,organic herbs and other agribusiness ventures, the Minister said.

Among those productions, the tea sector will continue to play a major role in the economic development of the country as we have no alternative crops better suited for these lands, he said.

The Minister said, he was concerned in areas such as reducing cost of production, adequate investment in replanting to make it economically viable, adoption of good agricultural practices such as soil and water conservation, factory modernisation to meet international standards, commitment to value addition at estate level, better living standards for workers by enhanced welfare activities, reforestation and conservation of the environment, and to be competitive in the international market.

"Our main objective should be to increase productivity, reduce cost of production and earn more foreign exchange through value added products.

Therefore, incentives should be provided to the plantation companies who are willing to invest in value added activities at factory level", he said.