Lanka Sugar Company is currently facing a severe financial crisis, and farmers’ protests have intensified due to the long delay in payments to sugarcane farmers. The company’s chairwoman, Sandamali Chandrasekara, said that they are seeking a guarantee from the Treasury to obtain a loan from a state bank.
There are over ten thousand farmers who supply sugarcane to Lanka Sugar Company, and they are facing severe inconvenience due to the continuous delay in payments to them. Sugarcane farmers in the Siyambalanduwa area have said that they are ready to launch a massive protest if the situation continues.
When asked about the delay in payments, chairwoman Sandamali Chandrasekara said that the company makes payments to farmers from the income generated from the sale of sugar stocks and covers other expenses including employee salaries. She also emphasized that although the Lanka Sugar Company is a government-owned company, it does not receive direct financial assistance from the Treasury. She added that the company is run solely on the income generated from the sale of sugar products.