Dubai tea trade members meet Plantation Minister

Tuesday, 18 June 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Key members of the Dubai tea trade, who met Minister of Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe and the Sri Lanka Tea delegation on 15 June 2013, had pledged their fullest support to enhance the Ceylon Tea share in the UAE market.

Dubai, the main trading hub in the Middle East, imports over 70 million kg of tea annually for both domestic and re-exports markets. Sri Lanka supplies more than 20 million kg of tea to UAE and it has increased by 15% during the first quarter of 2013 and expected to reach 25 million kgs this year.

During the discussion, the trade members appreciated the quality assurance methods adopted by the Sri Lanka Tea Board to ensure the quality and standard of Ceylon Tea that has kept Sri Lanka tea most popular in the region. Out of about 300 million kg of annual Sri Lanka tea exports, 52% reach Middle Eastern markets. The Sri Lankan orthodox leaf teas are the most sought after tea in the region.

Outlining future plans, the Minister briefed on the Ceylon Tea Global Promotion Campaign that will be launched shortly. Most of the leading tea markets in the region would be covered by the global campaign. He further emphasised that the Ceylon Tea name would be put back on the global tea map once the campaign was launched. The Ceylon Tea Global Promotion Campaign in the Middle East will be kicked off in UAE during the Sri Lanka-Pakistan cricket series by end of this year. In response to a query raised by a trade member on the price of Ceylon Tea, the Minister explained that all teas produced in Sri Lanka could be categorised as fair and ethically manufactured teas as the wages of plantation workers were revised every two years and their accommodation, health and educational facilities were provided by the estate management.

The Minister also highlighted the achievement of the Sri Lanka tea industry in protecting the environment. Sri Lanka is the only tea producing country to receive the accolade from Montreal Protocol in Canada for ‘Ozone Friendly Tea’. On an initiative taken by him, all leading tea producing countries have joined to form the Tea Producing Countries Forum, whose main task would be to promote health aspects of tea among the consumers. The high content of antioxidant factor in tea would be highlighted in all future tea promotional campaigns to satisfy the consumers’ health concern.

Wimal Jayawardene, Add. Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Gerry Jayawardene, Chairman, TRI and Hasitha de Alwis, Director (Promotion) of the Tea Board were the other members of the delegation.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UAE Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Dubai Abdul Raheem and Minister (Tea Promotion) of the Consulate Ranjith Abeykoon also accompanied the Sri Lankan delegation in the meeting.