State Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations Ravindra Samaraweera yesterday acknowledged that the tea industry has collapsed in the country.

He made this observation at a press conference when Minister WDJ Seneviratne and the state minister were asked about the continuing protests by estate workers demanding a wage hike to Rs 1000 per day.

Samaraweera said that all but one trade union agreed for a wage hike to Rs 730 per day.

He said it was crystal clear that no company can pay Rs 1000 per day for a worker as the tea industry has collapsed.