Point of view

Capturing the Pakistani tea market vital

PAKISTAN was one of the major buyers of Sri Lankan tea for several years until the Kenyan tea captured the market in late eighties or nineties due to disturb exports from Sri Lanka as a result of labour disputes.

Since then, there had been no proper exercise carried out in Pakistan to recapture the lost market other than few exhibitions here and there without proper focus and planning.

It is sad to see that the foolish acts of Sri Lankan trade office (consulate) are also helping Kenyan market to excel in the Pakistan. One such incident is the forming "The Sri Lanka-Pakistan Business Forum" initiated by Sri Lankan Consulate.

The main object of this was to boost trade ties between two countries and mainly to promote the foremost export of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan tea.

Though the intention of forming the said business forum looks really appropriate, the list of officials appointed for the same with the support of SL Consul General (the patron of the Forum) raised the eyebrows of all Sri Lankans.

One of them is the main Kenyan Tea importer for Pakistan (Tapal Tea) and it is needless to say that he will always look after his main interest but not what Sri Lanka needs.

It has become a major concern with the other members (mainly the Sri Lankan tea importers) of the Forum and they have become helpless as the official support is on the wrong side.

In my opinion, if Sri Lanka needs to get back to the glorious era of dominating the world tea market, Sri Lankan authorities should re-evaluate the sincerity and the efforts of its officials before it is too late.

- D. D. Ranasinghe, Pakistan.