Sugar manufacturers in Sri Lanka are gearing up for a transformation in the nation’s sugar landscape following directives from the Parliament Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on Increasing Exports of Goods and Services, reported Sunday Observer.
The SOC on Increasing Exports of Goods and Services has mandated officials from the Sri Lanka Sugar Company to present an action plan within three months. This plan will outline strategies to bolster sugar production in Sri Lanka, aligning it with the country’s economic goals. Media report says that a comprehensive plan is underway to increase sugar production from the current 14 percent to an ambitious 40 percent.
Janaka Nimalachandra, former Chairman of Lanka Sugar Company Ltd., highlighted that Sri Lankans consume more sugar per capita than any other nation. However, the country’s sugar production meets only a modest 11 to 15 percent of its national sugar needs, despite cultivating sugar cane on 35,000 acres.
The industry’s strategy involves a focus on cultivating high-yielding sugarcane varieties to enhance production. Nimalachandra suggests that this approach has already been recognised by the sugar industry.
