Sweet news: 20 new sugar cane factories coming up here
Ridma Dissanayake
All arrangements are in place to establish 20 new sugar cane
factories in Sri Lanka. The government also aims to add 26 mega watts of
additional electricity capacity to the national electricity grid, Sugar
Industries Development Minister Lakshman Seneviratne said.
SAARC countries recently decided to generate energy via sugar cane
factories while developing the sugar cane industry, he said.
"We can generate eco - friendly energy via sugar cane factories and I
discussed this project with the Power and Energy Ministry Secretary. He
said we will be able to generate 26 mega watts as a by-product of the
sugar cane factories. Arrangements are now in place to establish 20 new
sugar cane factories and generate eco - friendly energy for the
country's development, " the minister said.
Seneviratne who inspected operations of the Udawala Sugar Cane
Research Institute recently, said arrangements are underway to set up 20
new sugar cane factories and it has been decided to allocate 5,000
hectares for each sugar cane factory.
"We will never sell our land. The land will be given to sugar cane
farmers," the minister said.
All sugar cane factories should have certain plans. All institutions
related to this project should present their year plans to the Sugar
Industries Development Ministry before the end of this year, Minister
Seneviratne said.
Minister's Private Secretary Ajith Pathirana, Ceylon Sugar Company
Chief Executive Officer Hillary Perera, Udawalawa Sugar Cane Research
Institute chairman Siril Suduwella and officials attached to these
institutes were also present. |
