Minister wants all Govt owned tea factories to open

Plantation Industries Minister D. M. Jayaratne has issued strict instructions to open all Government owned tea factories which have been closed for several years.

According to the instructions, the Deraniyagala Tea Factory under the management of the Tea Shakthi Fund should commission functions before October 5. It has been closed for the last 10 years.

Addressing a workshop to explain facts about the tea industry to the Tea Smallholders in Deraniyagala, Minister Jayaratne said a considerable quantity of raw tea will return to outside factories due to the closure of this factory.

The Minister said there are 680 tea factories under the registration of the Sri Lanka Tea Board but only 50 factories have been closed due to various reasons.

There are 13 tea factories under the management of the Tea Shakthi Fund. Three have been closed and seven are running at a loss and only three factories are functioning well, Minister Jayaratne said.