Lanka leading in tea exports :

Akbar Brothers among top five

Akbar Brothers Group has exported 42.3 million kilograms of tea in 2009.

They have also been ranked as one of the largest packetted tea exporters in 2009, with exports totalling 20.6 million kilograms.

In the Teabag Segment too, Akbar Brothers have emerged as a leading exporter with exports totalling 3.6 million kilograms, the company said.

"We have maintained the position as the largest tea exporter for the last 18 consecutive years. This achievement demonstrates that our customers worldwide, have abiding confidence in our products and services," Akbar Brothers Group Chairman Abbas Akbarally said.

He also pointed out that 2009 has been a very difficult year for all tea exporters with the global meltdown compounded by the shortfall in Sri Lanka's tea production.

"Despite these adverse circumstances, Sri Lanka has forged ahead to become the largest exporter of value-added tea products among all tea producing countries".

In 2009, Sri Lanka exported 41 percent of her total tea exports in the form of consumer tea products such as tea packets and teabags. India exports only around 20 percent of her tea exports in consumer packets and teabags.

The other countries such as Kenya, China and Indonesia export less than 5 percent of their tea exports as consumer products.

Sri Lanka maintains a big lead over all other tea producing countries in marketing value-added tea products.