Value added tea exports to be doubled

Hiran H. SENEWIRANE

SRI LANKA Tea Tr- aders Association plans to increase the country’s value added tea exports from 35 per cent to 65 per cent within next 10 years to get higher prices, Chairman, Tea Traders Association, Lalith Hettiarachchi said.

“Currently Sri Lanka imports 65 per cent tea in bulk form and 35 per cent in value added form. By increasing the value added tea exports we could get double the price for one kilogram,” Hettiarachchi said at a press conference announcing the up coming Colombo International Tea Convention.

He said that Sri Lanka is one of the four leading tea producers of the world along with India, China and Kenya.

“Sri Lanka exported 327 million kilograms of tea in 2006 netting an income of Rs. 91.7 billion or US Dollars 840 million. Tea has been one of the main foreign exchange earners for the country and provides employment to nearly two million people,” he said.

Small holders account for almost 65 per cent of the country’s tea production. The Convention theme this year ‘SUSTAINABILITEA” is appropriate for all stakeholders of the industry.

The country has more than 680 tea estates out of which 280 estates produce high quality tea to the export market especially Europe.

He said that Sri Lanka’s Tea Industry is 140 years old. To mark this occasion a Tea Convention with International Flavour is being organized by the Colombo Tea Traders’ Association in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tea Board.

This event is scheduled to be held from August 29 to September 1, at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo.

“Sri Lankan Tea Conventions are amongst the best attended in the world. Over the years themes such as “ready to drink”, “tea and health”, “Diversity in Specialitea” have lead the way for others to follow he said.