Thameenah Razeek – ceylontoday.lk
The Cabinet has decided to lease approximately 66 acres of land in the Anuradhapura District for 30 years in order to carry out the ‘Dry Zone Rural Economic Development Aloe Vera’ project, which involves a private enterprise.
Permission was also granted to construct and maintain the manufacturing and operating office buildings, as well as the storage and operational requirements of the project.
The project and land lease will be carried out in accordance with the Crown Land Ordinance. Co-cabinet Spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said yesterday (31) at the weekly Cabinet media briefing that the non-state-owned factory has submitted a project proposal to establish an aloe vera-based herbal medicine manufacturing enterprise for export in the Anuradhapura District using an organic farming system.
As part of this initiative, Aloe vera roots, tubers, gel, and external sections of leaves will be used to make high-energy drinks, tablets, ointments, inhalers, and hair oils. “The total investment for the project is USD 783 million, with the investor putting up USD 300 million.
The project will establish nurseries for the production of aloe vera seedlings on 2,000 acres in the Rajanganaya and Nochchiyagama Divisional Secretariat Divisions, and 102,000 acres in the Anuradhapura District will be used for aloe vera cultivation using plants produced by those nurseries,” he said adding that families who own land through grants and licences, as well as those who cultivate on government land, are encouraged to participate in the project.
