Hingurana Sugar Factory recommences operation

M.A. Phakurdeen Addalaichenai Group Corr

Hingurana Sugar Factory which remained closed for more than 22 years owing to terrorist activities and mismanagement is now being repaired at a cost of Rs. 1,300 million and will resume its operation by the latter part of March this year.

Sugar cane cultivators are being briefed on their activities during the forthcoming season by the Plantation Manager E Nayana De Z Abeysekera, Production Manager D N Dayaratne and Plantation Officer M S M Mukthar.

A hive of activity is going on at the factory at the moment following the taking over of the sugar factory by Gal Oya Plantation (Pvt) Ltd. This sugar factory which was once reputed for its sugar production in the South East Asia was established in 1960 and provided employment opportunities to a good number of youths of the area and a large number of sugar cane cultivators until 1990. However, the terrorist activities and bad management prevented its smooth operation and ultimately the management had to curtail its operation.

As a result, the employees as well as the sugar cane cultivators were compelled to suspend their activities.

Now under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Mahinda Chinthana repairing factories and providing new life to the general public of the area, the rejuvenation of the factory has been undertaken jointly by the Sri Lanka Sugar Corporation and the Gal Oya Plantation (Pvt.) Ltd.

A large number of technicians and the expert Engineers in the relevant field are deployed and work is going on day and night to commence its operation. The new machineries and spares specially brought down from India are fitted wherever necessary and others are being repaired.

Gal Oya Plantation Director and CEO Gamini K.B. Ratnayaka in an exclusive interview told our Correspondent that to commence the Factory’s sugar production activities, the raw sugar which would be imported from India would be fed to the machine by April this year and the harvested sugar cane from the area would be crushed for sugar production in full scale by June this year.

He also added that 2,000 tons of raw sugar in April, 2,500 tons in May, 3,000 tons in June, 3,000 tons in July, 2,000 tons in August, 4,000 tons each in September, October, November and December and a total of 40,500 tons of raw sugar would be got down from India for the production of sugar.

Machinery already repaired. Picture by M A Phakurdeen,

Meanwhile the sugar canes amounting to 13,550 tonnes in June, 12,800 tonnes in July and 20,450 tonnes and totally 46,800 tonnes of sugar cane expected to be harvested in the Hingurana Zones would be fed for crushing to produced sugar this year. This year’s target for the production of sugar is 39,392 MT. Meanwhile the necessary instructions have been circulated to sugar cane cultivators of the Hingurana East and South and Galmaduwa Zones to make all arrangements to prepare their lands and get ready for the plantations of sugar cane for which the Corporation and the Gal Oya Company would provide all assistance and necessary support.

According to the Plantation Manager E. Nayana De Z Abeysekera, 1,100 hectares would be cultivated during March this year. Meetings with sugar cane cultivators are also organized by the Plantation Manager Abeysekera and necessary instructions are being given to them as to how they should act in regards to cultivation of sugar cane.

The factory would be in position to employ 620 youths immediately and once its started its operation fully it may provide employment opportunities to 4,000 youths both male and female directly or indirectly.

The other important feature in the new operational system of the factory is that the factory would be in a position to supply water and electricity to the residents of the vicinity and the excess water and power would be transferred to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and the Ceylon Electricity Board, Director Ratnayake further told our correspondent.