Reveal producers who add sugar - MP Handwritten

Based on media reports published on 53 companies that add sugar to tea, COPE Committee Chairman Sunil Handunnetti demanded that the details of these establishments be revealed. He made this request in a letter sent to the Plantations Minister Navin Dissanayake.

The letter states, “A national media institution had reported on March 15 that 53 factories that produces tea are mixing sugar and glucose. It stated that the Tea Board, under the Plantations Ministry had conducted the raid.

The Tea Board former Chairman Rohan Pethiyagoda had said that out of 80 raids that were conducted in the Ratnapura, Galle and Matara districts, it was found that sugar and glucose was being mixed while crushing the tea leaves.

While appreciating the efforts taken to identify these errant factories, by not revealing their details, it also lays blame on the entire tea producing factories. Hence, they should be named to prevent the whole tea industry from being shamed.

Hence, he urged that these errant factories be named preventing the image of the entire tea trade being discredited due to the actions of a few.