PARLIAMENT

Hon. Lal Premanath,—To ask the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure,— (1)

(a) Will he inform this House —

(i) of the tea smallholders' contribution to the total tea production in Sri Lanka as a percentage;

(ii) whether he accepts that the tea factories perform an important role during the production process from raw tea leaves to the finished good;

(iii) of the number of registered tea factories in Sri Lanka located in each District, separately;

(iv) whether he accepts that the abovementioned factories are actually located physically on the respective lands;

(v) i​f so, whether the aforesaid fact has been ascertained through an     on-site inspection;

(vi) if not, of the reasons for it; and

(vii) whether any of the abovementioned tea factories have/ any factory has departed from producing finished tea for any reason?

(b) If not, why?