Lanka tea stands out at Macao expo

Sri Lanka, the largest producer of orthodox black tea in the world, captured the interest of a large number of visitors to the Macao Tea Expo held recently at the new Coati Strip Convention and Exhibition Centre in Macao.

The Commercial Section of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in China, together with the Tea Promotional Unit of the Sri Lanka Tea Board in Japan organized Sri Lanka's participation at the Tea Expo directing Sri Lanka Tea to another new destination.

This was the first time that Sri Lanka participated at an exhibition in Macau dubbed as the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of leisure and entertainment.

Sri Lanka tea sector could not ask for a better timing than this to participate at a Tea expo in Macau especially at a moment when the SAR Government is planning to accelerate the development of convention and exhibition industry.

The inaugural effort yielded loads of expectations for the Sri Lanka Tea in one of the best tourist attractions in Asia that has an annual arrival of more than 21 million visitors. . Sri Lanka participated displaying a variety of 'Ceylon Tea' from well known tea brands such as Watwala, Mabroc, Stassen, Mlesna ,Impra, Easwaran Brothers, Ranfer Hyson's Sinbad, Jafferjee etc and a huge demand and enthusiasm was shown by the visitors for Sri Lanka Tea.

The visitors to the exhibition were fascinated with the value added Ceylon tea such as Earl Gray, Lemon, Apple, Peach, Mango, Strawberry, Mint etc and spice flavours such as cardamom, cinnamon and clove.

It was a novel experience for many new visitors to taste the distinct taste of Ceylon tea coming from six agro-climatic districts in which Ceylon tea is grown and is offered to the tea connoisseurs of the world teas of different characteristics to suit their satisfaction.

As a new approach, the Embassy, together with the Tea Promotional Unit of the Sri Lanka Tea Board in Japan, promotes Ceylon Tea in a large scale in the mainland China which has yielded an extraordinary growth rate of more than 70 per cent last year.

Accordingly, this was another effort to expand the market in the special Administrative Regions of China.

The exhibitors were of the view that this event was one of the best organized and a well-timed effort, taking into consideration the Macau's free port status.

The exhibitors received many encouraging inquiries from buyers and agents of tea in Macau and other neighbouring provinces of mainland China during the three days.

An Asia-Africa Tea Meeting was held during the Expo where the Commercial Counsellor made a presentation on the Sri Lanka Tea Industry attended by Ambassadors and Commercial Counsellors of Tea Exporting Countries and high officials of China Tea Marketing Association.