Archives

Planters society president foresees bright future

by P. Rajaratnam in Nuwara Eliya

President of the Ceylon Planters Society Lal Basnayake addressing the 67th Annual General meeting held recently said the planting community could foresee a bright and prosperous future for the Tea Industry, with the peace process. This trend could attract many foreign investors for the future sustenance of the industry.

He said it was equally important for the government and the ministry of Plantation Industry to introduce new vistas and activities such as multi crops, perennial crops, animal husbandry, export oriented crops and other multi-faceted industries within the plantation sector to attract more youth to the profession. He said it was the aim and objective of the planting community to retain the youth of the plantation workers seeking employment outside the estates, otherwise, there will be a day the plantations will be compelled to face an acute shortage of work-force.

Basnayake said the drain of wealth of the nation on import of milk and allied products could be minimised with the improvement of the local dairy. Bio gas and dairy by-products could support savings elsewhere as well. Mini hydro projects should receive priority.

Hence, he said the State should endeavour to make available free technical and financial assistance to support establishment of such mini hydro projects wherever there is potential for such power generation and integrate them with the national grid.

He said the natural energies such as solar energy, windmill, and bio gas, bio mass should be explored. Solar and bio gas energies would certainly cut down the requirement of solid or liquid fuel for domestic and industrial usages. He said this would on the other hand help to preserve the tree population.

Messrs. Charitha Ratwatte and chairmen from various districts of the Ceylon Planters Societies also spoke.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries

Produced by Lake House
Copyright © 2003 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager