Sri Lanka’s highest-ever tea yield from New Peacock Estate of Elpitiya Plantations
View(s):Aitken Spence Plantations managed Elpitiya Plantations PLC’s New Peacock Estate in Pussellawa recorded the highest ever yield-per-hectare of 3,008 kg per hectare for the financial year 2014/15 in Sri Lanka for a tea plantation estate with an extent of ovr 260 ha.
Seen here is the General Manager with the estate staff.
The achievement came in spite of the unfavorable weather conditions that prevailed in the region during the last four months of 2014. New Peacock estate in the mid-country region continues to be one of Elpitiya’s exceptionally performing contributors of its 13 estates, according to a group media release.
“Undertaking of best practices in agriculture as emphasized by the management, making available the essential inputs to the tea fields at the right time and the commitment of all executives, staff and workers in the estate made the results possible,” said Senerath Pahathkumbura, General Manager in charge of New Peacock Estate and the Mid Country Cluster of Elpitiya Plantations PLC.
“In keeping with the policy of the company, our prime focus was to retain the workers available on the estate by giving them proper recognition and treating them as partners. To spearhead this acknowledgement across all levels, a number of benefits have been included in addition to the current welfare and social activities undertaken at the estate. Some of these benefits include workers’name tags provided in all three languages and called by name; as well as uniforms for all workers, transport to workplace, rest rooms at all leaf weighing points with refreshment between meals during the rush cropping months,” added Mr. Pahathkumbura.
New Peacock Tea Processing Centre produces approximately 1.2 million kg of premium quality CTC teas per annum, and maintains the highest level of food safety standards. The estate is awarded with ISO 22000:2005, Rain Forest Alliance, Ethical Tea Partnership (ETF) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificates, which have attracted the leading buyers’ support at the Colombo tea auctions, based on the merits of its quality.