Don't fall for UNP propaganda - Yapa

SLFP Presidential Election Campaign Media Coordinator and Plantation Industries Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, in a release yesterday urged the 250,000 strong estate workforce not to be deceived by UNP Presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe's promise of increasing the tea plantation subsidy from Rs. 150,000 to Rs. 200,000.

In the release, Yapa pointed out that Wickremesinghe was unable to explain the massive devastation caused to the tea industry during his regime and does not speak of the resuscitation brought about by the present Government by launching a relief programme for smallholders who produce 62 per cent of the total tea production and who earn 72 per cent of the total tea export income.

The Tea Small Holdings Development Authority that incurred a loss of Rs. 8 million in June 2004, made a nett profit of Rs. 28 million by December of the same year. By this year, the Authority is keeping on increasing the profit to reach Rs. 21 million while managing 13 factories.

In 2003, only Rs. 160 million was allocated for tea replanting while the present Government allocated Rs. 205 million last year and by now has allocated Rs. 129 million for this year, the release said.

This Government re-opened three factories, closed during the UNP regime in addition to bringing back to operation the factories at Menikdivela, Bulathkohupitiya and Deraniyagala at Rs. 64 million.

The Tea Shakthi Fertiliser Enterprise managed in a private land at a monthly rental of Rs. 375,000 during the UNP regime, was located afresh in a land belonging to the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority which resulted in a profit of Rs. 9 million by now, Yapa said.

Under the circumstances, Wickremesinghe's promises of future benefits to the tea industry is only an election gimmick which must not be taken seriously, the release said.