Will completely halt import of substandard tea – Gotabaya

Gotabaya Rajapaksa says that, with the aim of boosting the tea industry once again, measures will be taken to halt the importing of substandard tea and mixing it with Sri Lankan tea.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential Candidate mentioned this addressing a public rally held in Bulathsinhala.

According to Rajapaksa, the current government is ignorant about the agriculture and plantation industries. Therefore, all sectors in plantation have collapsed, he added.

Everyone from the laborer till small to medium scale and large scale industries has collapsed, he said.

Exporting good-quality Sri Lankan tea with substandard imported tea has lowered the market for Sri Lankan tea, Rajapaksa pointed out.

He said that he will act to aid tea cultivators to continue their trade by completely halting the import of substandard tea for cultivation.