New economic zone at Ratmalana

L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The latest special Economic Zone will be set up in Kaldemulla, Ratmalana to provide essential food items as well as textiles and garments to the public.

Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Affairs Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that Ratmalana Special Economic Zone will have textiles and garments sections that the earlier Special Economic Zones numbering fifteen did not have.

The Minister said Ratmalana Zone will be set up in a land of over 100,000 square feet in Kaldemulla only the producers of food items, textile and other essential items will be allowed to operate in the Zone to sell their goods at lower prices, he said. The prices of the essential items in the Zones are comparatively low and fresh with the producers directly supplying to the Zone.

The Minister said that the Narahenpita Economic Zone which was set up a month ago has become very popular and more than ten thousand customers visit it in the evenings as it is opened from 4.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m.

Fifteen economic zones in Dambulla, Talawa, Anuradhapura, Tissamaharamaya, Nuwara Eliya, Norochcholai, Meegoda, Welisara, Veyangoda, Narahenpita and more will be set up by the Government to provide fresh items at reasonable prices without middle businessmen.