Ten coconut oil milling plants for North

Shirley Wijesinghe

The Plantation Industries Ministry has taken steps to install 10 coconut oil milling plants in the North, investing Rs.3 million in line with Uthuru Wasanthaya accelerated development drive.

The coconut oil production capacity expected from the 10 milling plants is about 20 metric tons per day and is aimed to cover the export market too, Plantation Industries Minister D.M Jayaratne told the Daily News.

Minister Jayaratne said that over 30,000 families from Killinochchi, Mulaitivu, Pallai and Alampil will get employment opportunities directly and indirectly from the project. The economic development in the plantation industry had been in abeyance due to terrorist activities spread over three decades. But the people in the North will receive more economic benefits after installing the above milling plants, the Minister said.