Tea estates urged to adopt innovative projects

Tea estates urged to adopt innovative projects

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

COLOMBO: Tea plantations should go for innovative projects rather than sticking to traditional patterns, S. Leelaratne, Chairman of Elkaduwa Plantations said yesterday.

Leelaratne said such methods have helped reduced the company’s huge and long-standing losses by Rs. 1.7 million during the last year.

It would have reduced further and reached the breakeven point if not for the estate workers’ latest strike, he said.

This progress was made as a result of receiving a better harvest by pruning bushes and fertilising them on time and cultivating new plants, Leelaratne added.

The Bandarapola Factory, among the five factories closed down last September was opened providing employment to 108 people.