‘Russian asbestos annoys Ceylon Tea’- Moscow media

In their first take on Russia’s Ceylon Tea ban episode, Moscow’s private media says that Russian asbestos producers could have been impacted if Lankan ban on asbestos was not cancelled.

The Russian language L!FENEWS (life.ru) service, in an in-depth analysis quoting a Russian asbestos expert, said that long term negative effects on Russian producers would take place if Lankan ban was not lifted.

The Russian news site and 24-hour TV channel Life is privately owned and the TV channel is estimated to have an audience of 30 million. The news report by Eldar Ahmadiyev also notes that retail prices of tea in Russian markets were not impacted due to Ceylon Tea ban and boosted by holidays in Russia at that time, stating a 250 gram package of black tea is sold at a price of 350-370 Roubles.  It adds that the top Russian asbestos producer ‘Uralasbest’ exported asbestos to Sri Lanka but with increasingly declining volumes by 2016. It also refers to the meeting between Russian Federation Ambassador Yury Materiy and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen on 9 January in Colombo, where Ambassador Materiy called for trade renewal with Sri Lanka. The Russian language news report is available at life.ru/1079044