Ten factories under Tea Shakthi Institute record profits

Chaminda PERERA

Ten tea factories out of 13 under the Tea Shakthi Institute have generated a record profit of Rs. 74 million, said Plantation Industries Minister D. M. Jayaratne.

The Minister was speaking at a progress review meeting of the factories under the Tea Shakthi Institute.

These factory employees and the management should receive a percentage of the profit. The Ministry will soon implement a programme towards this end, the Minister said.

He directed the Ministry Secretary to reorganise the managements of the factories running at a loss and, noted that new managements should be tasked to make their factories profitable before December.

The Mahaweli Tea factory at Nawalapitiya has recorded a healthy profit of Rs. 18 million while the Raigamkorala tea factory has posted a Rs. 12 million profit.

Steps will be taken to provide facilities to the loss making factories and augment the employees contribution towards the production process, the Minister said.

He directed the Ministry Secretary to probe into the Balangoda, Gilimale and Pansalthenna tea factories running at a loss and recommend the measures that should be taken to rectify the situation.

The tea promotion officers working under the Tea Estate Development Authority will be posted to these factories to minimise post harvest wastage and build closer understanding between the factory and tea leaves suppliers.

These officers could educate tea smallholders on the plucking and transport of tea leaves, he said.

The Walahanduwa, Deniyaya and Passara tea factories have also recorded profits of Rs. One million each.

Ministry Secretary J. Abeywickrema, Tea Smallholders Authority General Manager K. D. Nandasena, Tea Shakthi Fund’s acting Chief Executive Officer Ruwanchandra, the managements of tea factories participated.