Addressing a ceremony to commemorate 150 years of tea plantations and 92 years of the Thalawakelle Tea Research Institute (TRI) he made these remarks.

After Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, President Sirisena is the first head of state to visit the Tea Research Institute in Talawakelle.

President Sirisena said that the government will provide all the resources to develop the tea industry.

Speaking about the issue of making the staffers at the Tea Research Institute he said that the government will forward a cabinet paper to make them permanent.

The government will take steps to improve the welfare of the estate workers and special attention will be paid to the education and health of the children of the estate workers.

Four varieties of tea which can withstand the drought were introduced by the TRI after extensive research and one plant was planted by President Sirisena at the TRI.

The information centre and the SMS service to stakeholders were also launched by President Sirisena.

Minister Naveen Dissanayaka Presented a memento to President Sirisena.