Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today met a group of saw mill owners at Temple Trees to discuss issued faces by them.

The meeting took place a week after President Maithripala Siridena said he would ban saw mills in five years.

"President Maithripala Sirisena only stresses the need to preserve the forest cover in Sri Lanka. He has only referred to ban the mobile saw mills and chain saws which could cause the forest cover to decrease from the present 28%, " Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said addressing the meeting.

The Prime Minister also added that the government wanted to improve the carpentry industry.

"The government is providing assistance to modernize the carpentry industry. In the same time preserving the forest cover which is now accounts to 28% is also a priority. We want to increase it," he added.