Richard Peiris honours exceptional employees

Richard Peiris Plantations, recognised its exceptional employees recently at its auditorium in Nawinna, Maharagama.

Themed 'Exceptional People - Traditional Champions' the inaugural awards had Chairman, Richard Pieris Group, Dr. Sena Yaddehige as Chief Guest.

Superintendent, Eladuwa Estate, Namunukula Plantations PLC (the Overall Winner) Nissanka Seneviratne receiving the challenge trophy from Chairman Richard Pieris & Company PLC Dr. Sena Yaddehige.

The Plantations Sector of the Richard Peiris Group own and manage Kegalle Plantations PLC, Namunukula Plantations PLC and Maskeliya Plantations PLC; three large publicly listed companies with estates in Maskeliya, Thalawakelle, Kegalle, Udupussellawa, Uva, Bandarawela, Kalutara, Galle and Matara areas producing tea, rubber, palm oil, coconut, spices, rambutan, plantains and fruits which play a vital role in Sri Lankan export earnings.

Dr. Yaddehige said "Richard Peiris Plantations is renowned for its contribution to the national economy and for the well-being of its employees.

I would like to commend the efforts of all plantation supervisors and managers for playing an integral part to the contributions made in the tea, rubber, coconut and oil palm sectors, strengthening our country's export earnings. It is our duty to recognise this valuable contribution. These truly are our 'Exceptional People and Traditional Champions'".

The estates' contribution in strengthening the national economy, Highest Net Profit Earner, Best Financial Performance, Best Agricultural Practices, Labour Efficiency, Waste Management, Lowest Cost of Production and Production and Manufacturing Efficiency categories were evaluated to identify exceptional performance. Eladuwa Estate under Namunukula Plantations was adjudged the Best Performing Estate whilst Brunswick Estate under Maskeliya Plantations and Eadella Estate from Kegalle Plantations received the first and second runners-up awards.

The plantation sector of the Richard Peiris Group contributed 7.5 percent of the national tea production in 2009/10, whilst Kegalle and Namunukula Plantations produced 5 percent of the total rubber production in the country.

Namunukula Plantations produced 30 percent of the total national palm oil production in fresh fruit form.

The sector employs over 32,000 employees covering tea, rubber, oil palm and coconut crops with a land base of 33,000 hectares producing approximately 14 m kg of tea, 6.5 m kg of rubber, 14.7 m kg of oil Palm and over 1 million coconuts in the year reviewed. Some of Sri Lanka's finest high grown teas are produced by Maskeliya Plantations.