Tea exports to reach Rs 380 bn mark in 2013

Indunil Hewage

Sri Lanka’s total tea export earnings will reach the Rs 380 billion mark this year compared to Rs. 160 billion recorded last year. This would be a 9.5 % increase in rupees terms while the value would drop in terms of dollars, said Sri Lanka Tea Board Chairperson Janaki Kuruppu.

She made these sentiments addressing the MTI Tea Strategy Forum in Colombo. However, Sri Lanka’s total tea production in 2012 has marginally dropped by 0.3 % due to unfavourable weather patterns, stiff competition from other countries and emerging trends in the global tea market. Kuruppu noted that the Colombo auction still gets the highest tea prices in the world and the annual average Colombo auction prices and average auction prices in many of the auction centres have shown positive results on rupee terms.

Sri Lanka government as well as the Sri Lanka Tea Board encourage industry stake holders to come up with new suggestions and initiatives to regain Ceylon tea market share in global trade as well as to increase their market presences across the world. According to Kuruppu, Sri Lanka is planning to launch a global ‘Ceylon Tea’ campaign this year in conventional as well as emerging markets.