The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka (on behalf of the Hon. Chithral Fernando, Attorney-at-Law)

¶ 01 asked the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development:

¶ 02 (a) Will he state the - (i) average annual sugar demand in Sri Lanka; (ii) quantity of sugar produced in Sri Lanka in the years 2023, 2024 and from the beginning of the year 2025 up to now, separately; and (iii) quantity of sugar that is expected to be produced in Sri Lanka and to be imported into Sri Lanka by the end of 2025, separately?

¶ 03 (b) Will he also state - (i) the types of taxes and the percentages of taxes imposed on locally produced sugar, separately; (ii) whether he is aware that the Pelwatte and Sevanagala sugar factories of the Lanka Sugar Company (Pvt.) Limited are currently incurring losses from sugar production; (iii) the number of direct and indirect jobs created in relation to the sugar industry in Sri Lanka, separately; (iv) whether he is aware that the jobs referred to above are currently under severe risk; and (v) the measures that will be taken to increase sugar production in Sri Lanka and to reduce the quantity of sugar imported to Sri Lanka?

¶ 04 (c) If not, why?