Plantation Minister orders profits from Deraniyagala Tea Factory
Ramani Kangaraarachchi
COLOMBO: Minister of Plantation Industries D.M. Jayaratne has
instructed his Secretary J. Abewicrama to turn the Deraniyagala tea
factory which is running at a loss in to a profitable venture as soon as
possible.
He has appointed a three-member committee headed by the Senior
Research Officer (technical) Tea Research Institute Jerry Galahitiya to
find out the reasons and submit a report as how to overcome this
situation immediately.
The Chairman Kalubovitiyana Tea Factory Vicent Ratnayake said that
only 5,000kg of tea leaves are ground in this factory and the suppliers
are only getting average Rs. 40 per kilo.
But it has the capacity to grind a maximum of 12,000 kilos and if it
is to bring upto profit making level a minimum of 9,000 kgs have to be
ground.
This factory produces traditional black tea with a staff of 21
permanent cadres and 56 casual labourers. The income earned by the
factory from April 2006 to January 2007 was only Rs. 62,834,873.
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