Lanka Sugar Company launches its first-ever sales network in Nugegoda

Lanka Sugar Company (Pvt) Ltd has launched its own brown sugar sales network for the first time in history, marking a major milestone for the state-owned enterprise.

The opening ceremony took place on Tuesday (November 11) in Nugegoda under the patronage of Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti.

The new sales network aims to provide Sri Lankan consumers with high-quality brown sugar produced at the company’s Pelwatte and Sevanagala factories, at affordable prices. The company, which came under government management in 2011, has started this initiative after 11 years, highlighting its renewed strength and commitment to the local market.

Minister Handunnetti said the launch is a strong response to recent false claims that the Pelwatte and Sevanagala factories were being shut down or sold to the private sector. “By launching this network after 14 years, the company has given the best answer to those false allegations,” he said, adding that the move represents a new chapter in the company’s journey.

Lanka Sugar Company expressed gratitude to all its employees and the sugarcane farmers who contributed to achieving this goal. The government has also decided to release the company from statutory payments starting January 1, 2026, to further support its operations.

Through this initiative, consumers will be able to buy locally produced brown sugar at lower prices while supporting over 250,000 sugarcane farming families across the country.

The main outlet, located on Nawala Road, Nugegoda, will serve both wholesale and retail customers and offer a range of other sugar-based products such as sugarcane drinks, jaggery, and sugarcane honey.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security R. M. Jayawardhana, local political representatives, officials from the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Chairperson of Lanka Sugar Company Sandamali Chandrasekara, and several other company officials.