Ozone friendly tea gets world recognition

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

Sri Lanka being the first tea producing country in the world to be recognized as a producer of Ozone Friendly tea will register the Ozone Ceylon Tea logo in 30 tea importing countries from 2011 to 2012.

The launching of the new logo will take place in Colombo next month.

Sri Lanka Tea Board Promotion Director Hasitha De Alwis told Daily News Business that Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) has completed the registration of the Ozone Friendly Pure Ceylon Tea logo in Sri Lanka.

As a preliminary measure, Sri Lanka Tea Board, in consultation with tea industry stakeholders, finalized the demarcation of tea factories under each agro-climatic region. Suitable descriptive narrations for protection of Ceylon Tea and other seven regional teas were formulated thereafter.

The approval of the Cabinet was obtained for Sri Lanka Tea Board to register Ceylon Tea and other seven tea growing area names under Geographical Indication and Certification mark in Sri Lanka and other foreign countries on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka.

Alwis said the protection of a GI registration for a particular product in the home country is a pre-requisite prior to applying for international registration.

The main seven tea growing regions (Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Uva, Udapussellawa, Kandy, Ruhuna and Sabaragamuwa) as certification marks under the Geographical Indications.

SLTB is now contemplating to initiate action to apply for international registration for the said GIs in 50 target markets during 2011 and 2012 with funding support from the Industry and Commerce Ministry.

He said worldwide demand and popularity for Ceylon Tea has made it a national brand for Sri Lanka. Since Ceylon Tea Propaganda Board time, the country has spent substantial funds to promote Ceylon Tea in important tea consuming countries.

Due to the premium price received regularly for Ceylon Tea, the overseas packers frequently misuse the name by packing other origin teas as Ceylon Tea.

Therefore, Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) decided to protect the Ceylon Tea name as well as seven major regional tea growing areas under Geographical Indications as Certification Marks under the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organization.