Long term sustainable development under NPIP

by L. S. A. Wedaarachchi

[email protected]
 

The government will invest Rs. 254,570 million in the plantation sector over the next ten years under the National Plantation Industry Policy (NPIP).

The Ministry of Plantation Industries, expects to achieve longterm sustainable development under the NPIP. A spokesman for the Plantation Ministry said that the strategic policies and programmes with the public and private stakeholders in the plantation industry are aimed at achieving sustainable development.

The ministry hopes to achieve sustainable development in the plantation sector through broader policy alternatives such as transforming the plantations into engines for pro-poor growth and regional development, private sector led growth by establishing and promoting Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Private-Private Partnership Economic Viability promoting downstream activities and diversification to improve profitability in the sector, he said.

The ministry targets Rs. 1,882,383 million during the period 2007-2016 by having 8.9 per cent GDP growth per year in implementing the NPIP in the plantation sector.

The plantation sector comprises tea, rubber, coconut, sugarcane, cashew and palmyrah.

The main thrust of the plantation sector is to increase the productivity and profitability of the corporate and smallholding sector of the plantation industry through product and market integration, agro based industries aiming at long term sustainability.

According to the spokesman the sector is still faced with low productivity and high production costs compared to other countries.