Minister calls for probe on possibility of adulterated tea

Walter LIYANARACHCHI

INSTRUCTIONS: Minister of Plantation Industries D. M. Jayaratne instructed the tea researchers and relevant authorities to investigate whether the tea sold in the local market is adulterated.

He said that he gets the impression that, some people in tea business are engaged in mixing tea sweepings en masse and sending them to the local market in attractive packets.

Minister said so at the occasion of assuming duties as the Minister of State Plantations at his Ministry.

He also instructed the relevant officers in his Ministry to investigate whether the best tea exported in bulk is mixed with cheap tea and reexported, branding them Sri Lanka tea.

'Tea can be grown in different parts of the country. An idea is mooted to grow 40,000 acres of tea in the Moneragala district which is a new experience to the district. Likewise, tea experts in the Ministry should conduct research and identify other areas in the country where tea can be grown successfully.

"Such an exercise would pave the way to increase the income ratio and would generate more employment opportunities, he said.

Minister also said that we should always export value added tea to enter the international competitive market.

"No country will survive businesswise if their productions are not value added.

State-owned 23 tea estates were handed back to the private sector. The Ministry has to monitor and have to be vigilant on their performance.

"We cannot leave any room for them to run those estates according to their whims and fancies since the original ownership is vested in the Government.

Such vigilance would discourage them from degrading our tea which is world famous, the Minister said.

The Minister appealed to the staff to work hard in order to promote the activities in the Ministry and he said that he is always with them to look into their problems.

The Minister also said that he had been offered a good Ministry where he can offer his services to the country.