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| Wednesday, 7 April 2004 |
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Rejuvenating Japan-Lankan tea market Tea exporters to Japan would shift to value addition in preference to bulk exports in future, said a private sector exporter at FoodEx 2004 in Tokyo. The private sector representatives joined the Sri Lankan Ambassador Karunatillake Amunugama with the Tea Board representative at the FoodEx 2004 opening ceremony at Makuhari Messe (Nippon Convention Centre) recently. The theme of the Sri Lanka tea industry was to upgrade the export sector for more value addition and brand marketing. Sri Lanka supplies 55% of the Japanese tea market and produces some of the world's finest black teas. The 'Regaining Sri Lanka Program' has emphasised the need to expand tea exports globally. FoodEx, Asia-Pacific's largest food and beverage trade show, offered opportunities for partnerships with Japanese counterparts introducing new products. The 29th International Food and Beverage Exhibition was opened to industry professionals at Makuhari Messe (Nippon Convention Centre) recently. FoodEx Japan 2004, featured Sri Lanka for the seventh successive year with 11 leading tea exhibitors from Colombo, sponsored under the Tea Board umbrella. In volume and value Sri Lanka has become the top seller in Japan for black tea, which lead to larger participation of companies at this year's FoodEx. Akbar Brothers, Jafferjee Brothers, Esswaran Brothers, Imperial Teas, Mabroc Teas, Heladiv Teas, Tea Tang, Mackwoods, Southern Sun Teas, Ni-Cey International, Standard Trading Co. has booth space the Sri Lanka Tea Board. M/s. Lanka Organics, Ni-Cey International and Ma's Holdings held separate stalls in the (JETRO) pavilion displaying their products. Seventy-four countries with 2,466 companies participated exhibiting products from specific regions of each country. This indicated strong prospects as well as opportunities in the food and beverage industry in Japan. Sri Lanka being the third biggest tea producing country globally, has a production share of 10% in the international sphere, and is the largest exporter to the world since 1996 with a global share of 21%. Director of the Sri Lanka tea pavilion Hasitha de Alwis conducted a tea workshop at the FoodEx premises under the theme "Mystery of Ceylon Teas" where a targeted audience of Japanese buyers, importers, packers, wholesalers, retailers and blenders were given the opportunity of savouring different teas from separate agro-climatic districts. The "Diversi Tea in Speciali Tea" of Ceylon tea from various elevations of Sri Lanka were explained concurrently with a sampling session where the participants tasted the different teas and identified the variant in colour, strength and aroma. The workshop was an instant success among the targeted audience. |
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