Plantations need mechanization - Planters' Society

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

The plantation industry must go in for mechanization of some field operations and more automation in factories to improve productivity, Ceylon Planters' Society outgoing President Sanjaya Disssanayake said. Speaking at the 75th AGM of the association, he said this will entail some capital infusion but should be well worth the outlay.

"It would seem that plantation industries is doing well at least upto the time of the latest wage increase. The increase will have a telling affect on tea plantations where already the costs have gone up very sharply because as everyone knows, commercial tea cultivation and production is probably the most labour intensive of all agricultural crops. But if the productivity could be increased this problem will be solved to a certain extent," he said.

He said tea and rubber production increased by 11.5 and 10.5 percent respectively compared with two previous years but coconut production has dropped significantly.

The tea production increase in income of Rs 6 million. There is no difference in the tea sales average in 2010 compared to 2009 and in the next few months a drop in tea prices is expected as is seen in the last several weeks but hoped that this trend will change to benefit.

He said it has become necessary to pay attention to the aging soil conditions and also increasing revenue through multi-cropping. A certain amount of diversification will help to boost income. The membership possesses a wealth of experience and knowledge in relevance to the industry and its problems and can help when a corporate masterplan or roadmap to tackle the problems is drawn up.

The plantations are faced with the problem of recruiting good personnel as the upper crust of school leavers and those entering the job market are not attracted to a planting career.

It is upto the industry to manage the changes and the plantations skilfully and build the correct relationship with management and the decision makers, Dissanayake said.