Minister of Plantation Industries D. M. Jayaratne addressing the Programme Evaluation Work shop of the Plantation Development Project (PDP), yesterday said that he as Minister of Plantations obtained Cabinet approval to provide each family seven perches land, (For housing). He said he also had Cabinet approval to change designation of plantation workers, he further said a decision was taken to provide housing for estate staff as well. He qualified what he said indicating such housing (for staff) will be on the basis of flats.

He also said although Regional Plantation Companies (RPCC), faced wage hikes and recent market fluctuations the only way to overcome this position was to increase production and productivity. He also pointedly said replanting was lagging behind which was an important component if what he envisaged was to be realized. He conceded replanting was not cheap. He further added that plans were afoot that RPCC would eventually be assisted through the Government.

New focus points would be enriched to create capacities in the economy especially for domestic resources.

The Plantation economy was self reliant and did not need dependence on imports for its sustenance or survival. It was in effect the highest income earner in the country.

Export earnings from three main crops, Tea Rubber and Coconut topped US 200 Billion Dollars in the recent past. ‘This alone shows importance of this valuable sector’, he said.

The evaluation work shop was conducted to appraise participants impact of the Plantation Development Project (PDP) funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) now in its final stage.

Present at the workshop including the Minister, were Secretary Ministry of Plantation Industries, Indrani Sugathadasa, Director, PDP, Raja Premadasa, Country Director Sri Lanka, Resident Mission ADB, Dr. Richard Vokes, Senior Project Development Economist, ADB, Manila, Marzia Mongioria.

Speaking in Sinhala, and dispensing with prepared script Jayaratne said, plantation workers were now much better off, and comparatively in better circumstance than rural workers. He said rigours enforced under Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point or HACCP, were being adhered to. Health standards of plantation workers had improved, and envisaged all round improvement was put in place.

Director PDP, Raja Premadasa, and Secretary General Planters Association of Ceylon, Malin Goonetilleke, also spoke.