Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, visited the Kantale Sugar Factory this week as part of efforts to evaluate the feasibility of restarting operations at the site, which has been inactive since 1993.
The factory, which spans roughly 22,000 acres, has seen part of its land temporarily used by farmers for paddy cultivation. Handunnetti said discussions are in progress to determine the viability of reintroducing sugarcane cultivation.
He said that with growing demand for industrial development in the region, some of the land could be released for alternative industrial uses following further assessment.
The Kantale Sugar Factory was once a key component of Sri Lanka’s domestic sugar production before its closure in the early 1990s. Its potential revival has been a topic of interest in recent years amid efforts to boost local manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports. (Newswire)
