Sugar cane harvesting commences

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The sugar cane harvesting ceremony of the Pelwatta sugar factory, which was taken over by the government, was held recently under the patronage of Productivity Promotion Minister Lakshman Seneviratne at the sugar cane estate in the factory premises.

The company was taken over by the government in terms of the Revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Underutilized Assets Act.

A special religious programme was conducted at the Pelwatta sugar factory to commence harvesting.

Minister Seneviratne speaking on the occasion said his ministry is receiving the support and cooperation of the Moneragala district political authority to revive the Pelwatta factory. The revival of this industry would be a boon to the people in the Moneragala district as it would help improve their income and living standard.

The minister said they had been able to save almost 50 percent of the expenditure on harvesting sugar cane by deploying inmates of the Moneragala prison.

He said his ministry hoped to lease about 500 to 1,000 hectares of land in Moneragala to the Civil Defence Force for planting sugar cane to feed the factory. They will be given the same grant as sugar cane farmers for the cultivation exercise. He said his ministry hoped to transform the Pelwatte and Sevanagala sugar factory into a profitable institute.