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.
Tea Board Chairman Susantha Ratnayake, Sri Lanka Tea Board
Director General, H. D.Hemaratne and Colombo Tea Traders
Association Chairman, Jayanatha Keragale at the press conference
yesterday. Picture by Saliya Rupasinghe. |
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. |