Sri Lanka tea sector faces overhaul

A meeting was held yesterday (July 17) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo between the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, and officials from institutions related to the tea industry.

The discussion focused on the current challenges faced by Sri Lanka’s tea industry. Special attention was given to improving the quality of tea leaves, enhancing the productivity of tea cultivation, and exploring new international market opportunities.

The difficulties encountered by tea manufacturers were also discussed, and Dr. Kumanayake instructed officials to develop constructive solutions to address these issues.

The importance of implementing various programmes to build the capacity of small tea estate owners was emphasized. The need to encourage manufacturers to prioritize tea replanting was also highlighted.

The discussion further covered future initiatives to be implemented by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, including the establishment of a formal data system and ensuring its effective follow-up.

Additionally, the Tea Traders’ Association urged the government to strictly enforce regulations against factories that compromise tea quality during production.

The establishment of a platform to enhance coordination among tea manufacturers, exporters, small tea estate owners, and government officials was also discussed. The President’s Secretary noted that further steps would be taken following discussions with the relevant ministry. This is expected to facilitate a detailed examination of emerging issues in the tea industry and enable the provision of timely and efficient solutions.

The Tea Smallholder Factory Owners’ Association expressed its appreciation to the government for including small tea estate owners in the discussion.

Among those present at the meeting were President’s Senior Additional Secretary Kapila Janaka Bandara, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure W.M.T.D. Wickramasinghe, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Board R.K. Obeysekera, and officials from the Small Tea Estate Development Authority, the Sri Lanka Tea Research Institute, the Department of Inland Revenue, and the General Treasury, as well as representatives from various associations in the tea sector.