News
26 million kilo increase in tea output last year despite fertiliser crisis
The total output of tea plantations had increased in 2021, compared to 2020, Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said at the opening of a multi-purpose building at the Batahena Dharmagaveshi Temple.
“Tea harvest in the year 2020 was 279 million kilos and it was 305 million kilos in 2021. We are also thinking about providing a subsidy for chemical fertilizers or to reduce the price of fertilizers within the next three months,” he said.
The Minister also laid the foundation stone for the Tea Smallholdings Development Authority and the Tea Leaf and Agricultural Products Marketing Centre and the Green Tea Collection and Agricultural Product Marketing Centre at Opatha, Galle. The Tea Small Holdings Development Authority has spent Rs. 13.4 million on the project under the Star project, which will serve about 2,500 tea smallholders in the area.
“At present the prices of not only fertilisers but also fuel, milk powder, cement and food items in the world market have gone up. Transport costs have gone up. The world’s manufacturing economy has collapsed due to the spread of the coronavirus. Due to these problems the prices of goods in our country as well as in the world have gone up. No government in the world wants to increase commodity prices and make people queue up during its rule,” he said.
The Minister said that the ban on chemical fertilisers was well-intentioned, but some sectors, including the tea industry, found it difficult to manage without agro-chemicals. However, the government was bringing down chemical fertiliser.
“But a 50 kg bag of fertiliser costs Rs. 7,200. People cannot afford that price. Although relief cannot be given immediately, the government is taking steps to provide relief in a systematic manner. We will provide a subsidy for fertiliser within the next two to three months. We are also working to reduce fertiliser prices,” he said.
\Minister Pathirana said that the tea industry was showing signs of improvement. Tea production in 2020 was 279 million kg. But despite the fertilizer crisis, the sector produced 305 million kilos of tea last year, he said.
“The government will implement several programs in the future to promote tea cultivation. However, the people are not aware of the projects implemented by the government. I allocated Rs. 1.5 billion for a project to provide water for cultivation. But not even fifty percent of that money has been spent. The World Bank Loan Scheme will provide US $ 20 million for the development of tea cultivation. We will provide that money to the people through public and private banks,” he said.
The Minister said that tea plants, compost, high shade plants, short shade plants, dolomite were provided free of charge. Applying too much chemical fertilizer did not increase the yield much.
“Fertilizer has clearly been misused in our country. In order to get a very high yield, organic fertilisers should be applied along with chemical fertilisers,” he said.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
