‘Economically-stable country early next year’

State Minister of Company Estate Reforms, Tea and Rubber Estates Related Crops Cultivation and Factories Modernization and Tea and Rubber Export Promotion Kanaka Herath said he is hopeful that the country will become economically stable in the first few months of next year.

He was speaking to the media after the staff felicitation ceremony of the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority (TSHDA) held at the Ape Gama premises in Battaramulla recently.

A total of 201 staffers of the Authority were felicitated with awards based on the selection made by an independent selection committee.

On this occasion held under the patronage of Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, the hotline of the TSHDA ‘1974’ was also introduced to the public.

The State Minister said that if the prevailing pandemic situation ends next year, thus increasing the number of tourists arriving in the country, it will be helpful to strengthen the country’s economy.

In response to a question raised by a journalist, he said that considering the fluctuation of tea fertilizer prices in the world market, his ministry will take steps to provide the farmers with a concession in the future.

However, he said that even amidst the fertilizer crisis in the country, tea production has gone up this year compared to the previous year.

Commenting on the allegations levelled against the present Government by the Opposition Leader and the Opposition, State Minister Herath said the Opposition has to re-think if the public would bring them into power once again.

The TSHDA Chairman, General Manager and the staff members participated.