Colombo to hold Tea Convention in February :

Value added tea export increases

Hemanthi GURUGE

Sri Lanka's value added tea export has increased by 58 percent during the first nine months of the year. Sri Lanka's value added tea export percentage was averaging around 30 percent during the past few years.

Sri Lanka Tea Board Director General H.D Hemaratne told 'Daily News Business' that the intention of the Sri Lanka Tea Board is to increase the exports of value added tea in place of bulk tea exports.

Tea exports categorized according to the new HS codes are tabularized under this section. It comprise bulk tea, tea packets in different ranges and tea bags packaging that is classified under black tea, green tea, instant tea and RTD tea processor.

123,299,675 kgs of valuve added black tea, 1,201,538 kgs of value added green tea, 2,027,524kgs of instant tea and 74, 036 kgs of 'RTD' tea has been exported during first nine months of the year.

The value added tea consumption has increased in many countries including the Middle East and Australia.

Tea is the third largest foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka.

The 140 year old industry passed the one billion dollar annual exports mark for three consecutive years. Ceylon tea is the world famous most popular brew in the world today.

Sri Lanka Tea Board Chairman Susanth Ratnayake said that the Colombo International Tea Convention will be held next February at Cinnamon Grand Colombo with the prime objective of promoting "Ceylon Tea".

The tea convention this year will revolve around the theme "Exclusivitea" encompassing the niche in quality that is synonymous with "Ceylon Tea".

The event will attract all major leaders of the global tea industry to Colombo for the three day event. The convention will provide all stake holders, both local and international with an ideal platform to exchange views, network, share technologies and resources and integrate during the span of the event. "Over 500 guests are expected," he said.

The Colombo Tea Convention is set to be a key meeting point of both International and Local tea exporters, producers and buyers.

It will take the form of a global forum cum convention giving all participants an opportunity to witness all facets, and the gamut of stakeholders within the industry at one common place.

The convention will consist of many events of which the main attraction would be the participation of academics, business leaders and intellectuals who would share their expertise and knowledge with the audience.

The event organized by the Ceylon Tea Traders Association with the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services will include a wide array of related events.