Committee devoid of politics - Plantation Industries Minister

Shirley WIJESINGHE

Plantation Industries Minister D.M. Jayaratne yesterday said the Committee appointed to make recommendations on Development and Management of Estates leased out to Regional plantation companies will carry out their tasks free of politics.

The Minister said he received this assurance from the 11 member Committee.

Minister Jayaratne was speaking after accepting the Presidential Committee Report recommending reforms on Development and Management of estates leased out to regional plantation companies.

The Minister also said Sri Lanka is still safe from the current global recession. However, the tea industry has plunged into an unprecedented crisis due to the global economic recession.

Tea has been treated more as food than a drink the world over Many countries including China and Japan drink tea three times a day as a habit, on the recommendation of scientists. "If the price of a kilo of tea leaves drops below Rs.45 and kilo of finished tea Rs. 300, the loss will be borne by the Government. "The Government has also decided to sell a metric ton of fertilizer at Rs.3,000 down from Rs. 6,000 as a measure to offer relief to the tea grower. The tea broker companies will also be permitted to pay their dues to the Government within one month under the new concession and industrialists could now apply for Bank loans at 6 percent interest," Minister Jayaratne said adding that temporary measures have been taken by the Government to overcome the present challenges of the Tea Industry. The Scope on Term of Reference (ToR) of the committee will cover land ownership, survey., compensation for land acquisition, replanting, lease rental and management fees, sub-leasing, productivity, soil erosion , earthslips, foresting, gemming and other important matters.