Despite global economic downturn :

High yield from plantation crops

Lakshmi DE SILVA

Though there was a global economic downturn Sri Lanka's traditional plantation sector tea, rubber and coconut earned a record US$ 227 million in 2008, the highest income of the plantation sector, Plantation Industries Minister D.M. Jayaratne said during a visit to Elpitiya Plantations in the Galle District. "Sri Lanka earned US$ 127 million from tea, US$ 76 million from rubber and US$ 24 million from coconut and this was a great achievement", he said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa's policy on plantation workers enhanced the educational opportunities of providing Rs. 70 million government funds, Rs. 280 million under Swedish aid, to upgrade plantation schools.

To boost the health sector in the plantations Rs. 55 million was allocated for plantation hospitals and dispensaries.

Many vocational training programs were started to enhance the employment skills of the plantation youth.

Under the housing program Rs. 1.2 billion was allocated to build self-help houses in the plantation sector in collaboration with the Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Ministry. Jayaratne said President Mahinda Rajapaksa's policy was also to enhance the social status of plantation workers and to integrate the plantations with the villages so that there will be equity for the plantation workers.