Kenya to participate in global tea forum in Sri Lanka

Kenya is sending a high powered tea delegation to Colombo to discuss issues concerning sustainable production and food safety standards, tea regulators said here on Monday.

A statement from the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) said the Kenyan delegation will join more than 100 foreign and 300 Sri Lankan delegates expected to attend the Colombo International Tea Convention which begins on August 29 to September 1.

“As one of the leading producers of the highest quality black tea in the world, Kenya will be sharing and comparing its experiences together with its host, the Sri Lanka Tea Board among others,” the TBK Managing Director Sicily Kariuki said.

The four-day convention whose theme will be sustainability or ‘Sustainabilitea’ comes at a time when consumers are becoming more conscious of their social responsibility when sourcing the product.

“The Convention will also include other forums such as a Tea Producers Forum and a Tea Producer and Consumer Countries Forum. Both Forums will hold consultations on key issues directly affecting the world tea industry,” Kariuki said.

The conference is being organised by the Colombo Tea Traders’ Association (CTTA) and the Sri Lanka Tea Board to mark the 140th anniversary of the Ceylon tea industry.