SRI LANKA: Hingurana Sugar to being crush next month
Published: 07/16/2012, 1:25:10 PM
Sugar production from the current sugarcane harvest will begin next month after a lapse of 15 years at the Hingurana Sugar factory in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province, according to Sri Lanka's Colombo Page.
The sugarcane harvesting began at an auspicious time Saturday under the patronage of the executive director of the company Lalith Gamage.
All arrangements to produce sugar from the sugarcane harvest have been made and the production of sugar will begin next month, an official said. Experimental milling of sugar cane will take place on Monday before commissioning the factory.
Once a thriving factory, the Hingurana sugar factory was closed and neglected for the past 15 years and the government resurrected the facility in 2009 and handed over to private sector keeping a 51% stake.
After it was acquired by the Galoya Plantations, the sugarcane cultivations were started using the farmers in the area and providing them with the plant material and the technical expertise. Sugar cane had been planted in 2,000 hectares of land.
The sugar factory regenerated with an investment of LKR1.5 billion (US$11.2 million), expects to manufacture sugar to serve the local market and to strengthen the local economy.
Currently, the plant employs around 800 people and it expects to raise the number of employees to 2,000 in the future. A large number of people in the area will be indirectly benefited from the plant.