Tea Shakthi Fund pays over Rs. 15 m to smallholders

by Imantha Caldera

The insurance scheme introduced by the Tea Shakthi Fund paid over Rs. 15 million to tea smallholders last year said a Ministry Spokesman. Over 197,000 tea smallholders have already obtained membership under this insurance scheme.

The total payment already made is Rs. 75.8 million. Special collateral arrangement has been made to settle in making these payments".

He said to obtain insurance payments in the event of a death or accident the Tea Shakthi Fund should be informed within 14 days. The relevant documents should be submitted within two months. Sixty percent of country's total tea production comes from the smallholders.

The highest number of tea smallholders has been reported from the Kandy District which is around 25 per cent of the total tea smallholder population. Minister of Plantation Industries D. M. Jayaratne said much improvement should be done to make this scheme a success and to benefit all tea smallholders.