The government has received the cabinet nod to declare the Sugarcane as a major plantation crop in the country.
Minister of Plantation Industries, Navin Dissanayake has proposed the measure in order to increase the sugar production in Sri Lanka to meet the national requirement.
According to a cabinet statement, the annual sugar consumption of Sri Lanka is 670,000 metric tons and 91% of this requirement is fulfilled by importation. The amount of expenditure annually incurred for this purpose
is around US$ 350 million.
By the year 2020, it is expected that the domestic sugar requirement will be increased up to 700,000 metric tons.
Lands in extent of about 104,000 hectares have been identified in the districts of Moneragala, Batticaloa, Kilinochchi, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Ampara, Badulla and Polonnaruwa, enabling to meet this
requirement.
(colombopage.com)