The State Plantation Corporation, (SPC) now running at an annual loss of Rs.220 million has kicked off a program to make it a profit making institution, by issuing good quality low priced tea packets to the local market, under the brand name, ‘Sanstha Tea’, Chairman Thilak Mahanama said.
He said, the introduction of the new tea packets to the local market will enable the local population to consume export quality tea at the lowest price in the market.
Mahanama said, the SPC is aiming at reducing its losses, by making use of nearly 1 million kgs of tea leaves harvested from its tea estates, to produce tea and distribute to the local market, rather than sell them in the tea market, incurring nearly Rs.300 loss on a kilo of tea.
He said, the SPC will adopt a direct marketing approach when selling these tea packets in the open market.
“We are initially tragetting government institutions and will eventually extend to the open market”, he added.
Mahanama said, the SPC tea factories at Kelebokka, Midland and Rangala will be made use of, to produce this tea, with nearly 1 million kgs of tea leaves, and deliver to the market in environment friendly packaging.
“We are in a position to provide best quality tea to Sri Lankans through this process, and I believe, consumers will place their trust on us and buy the tea packets, which is a product from a state institution”, he added.
However, he said, since the tea packets are issued to the local market at a lower price, the SPC will ensure that no bulk purchase is made by outsiders.
“We are launching a program to achieve profit making status in another year, by placing more weight on the marketing of Sanstha Tea”, he added.