Tea factories receive fuel supplies

By Sunimalee Dias

Sri Lankan tea exporters will assist tea factories facing a fuel shortage with a supply of adequate stocks in a bid to remain resilient and overcome the present crisis.

While fuel is being issued from the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus depots in an ad hoc manner, the Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) is facilitating the process while also engaging the exporters to assist the factories as the state distribution is insufficient to meet all requirements.

The Tea Exporters Association (TEA) has come forward to step in to buy stocks from the CPC to take in the loads and select one factory to which about 8-12 smaller factories are connected to ensure that they receive adequate stocks of fuel to overcome the present crisis and ensure a smooth operation, SLTB Chairman Niraj De Mel told the Business Times on Thursday.

Despite the setback in the production numbers at the auction witnessing a decline, the provision of fertiliser is likely to see a surge.

“It is a challenging situation but we are managing,” he explained adding that more exporters are likely to join in this effort as both parties stand to gain by the continued operations of the factories.

It is learnt that some depots are complaining that they have not received orders to issue fuel to the tea factory owners and that this plan had altogether been suspended on July 22 to ensure that fuel can be provided to school vans through these depots.

Meanwhile, some small tea factory owners that contacted the Business Times complained of their inability to obtain adequate stocks from the depots due to some corrupt practices like the alleged sale of larger quantities to a few others at higher prices.

One such factory owner Bathisha Shiba of Aennen Tea Factory stated, “Tea Board gives letter with the allocation to the factory. But when we arrive at the depot to obtain fuel; those factories that bribe get full or near full allocation”.

He complained that factories like his that do not engage in bribery are given less than half of the allocation.