Alternative sources vital for self-sufficiency

Shirley WIJESINGHE

Sri Lanka's estimated annual fuel import bill is Rs. 250 billion which is 25 percent of the value of our total imports, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said.

Prime Minister Wickramanayaka added that it is extremely important that we should go for local alternative energy sources such as using ethanol, which could be obtained as a by product of the local sugar industry.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of a seminar to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Sugarcane Research Institute at the BMICH, Colombo yesterday.

The Premier said that he learnt that ethanol, a by product of the Sugar industry could be used as an alternative to petrol.

"Many countries are either producing and using ethanol on a large scale or are providing incentives for ethanol production. Brazil is one country which already produces and uses ethanol for their automobiles. Pure ethanol is used in about 40 percent of the vehicles in Brazil.

"The rest of the vehicles use a blend of 24 percent ethanol and 76 gasoline. So there is no reason why we should not follow the same," he said.

Wickramanayaka said the country's annual requirement of sugar is 550,000 metric tons. "But last year, we produced only 38,000 metric tons. We must also produce what we need and cut down on imports and advise people to put less sugar in their tea. I am sure that tea with less sugar will taste better," he said.

Speaking about the other by products of the sugar industry, the Premier said that "Bagasse", the dry pulpy residue left over after the extraction of juice from sugar cane could also be used to produce electricity.

Making remarks about history and our ancestors, he said that they were self-sufficient.

They did not go begging for foreign aid. The principle holds good even for today.

"We must find our own ways and means to be self-sufficient," he stressed.

He said the Government is willing to help and encourage all those who work and contribute for the development and well being of the country and the people. The research sector of country has been identified by the Government as an important factor in the Nation's material development.