‘Think out of the box to upscale export revenue to USD 1.8 bn’ | Daily News
Tea Research Institute should look at alternative for glycoside fertilizer

‘Think out of the box to upscale export revenue to USD 1.8 bn’

Chairman TEA, Ganesh Deivanayagam, presenting a token to former Chairman Sanjaya Herath
Chairman TEA, Ganesh Deivanayagam, presenting a token to former Chairman Sanjaya Herath

Industry veteran and Chairman of the Sri Lankan Tea Board Niraj De Mel lashed out at the Tea Research Institute (TRI) and said that they should be more active and think fresh to overcome challenges the tea sector faces in the future.

He said that Europe is now looking at banning glycoside fertilizer used products and the TRI should be working to produce or recommend an alternative product for this.

He was addressing the annual general meeting of the Tea Exporters Association where Ganesh Deivanayagam, Chairman of Eswaran Brothers Tea Exports was elected Chairman as current Chairman Sanjaya Herath, completed his tenure of three years. De Mel said that if the TRI needs funds they can even find that for them. The Tea Board Chairman said that Sri Lanka’s global tea marketing too should be strengthened and exporters should look at the Sri Lanka diaspora living in countries like Canada, Europe UK, and Australia. “These Sri Lankans currently need a strong cup of ‘original tea’ but today it’s not reaching them.

“I also strongly recommend that tea and tourism merge for global marketing promotional campaigns in the future.”

He said that several issues plus the drought resulted in a low crop, but this is now improving. Industry stakeholders should think out of the box and then we can look at meeting export revenue from the current USD 1.2 billion to around USD 1.8 billion. The Chairman elect Ganesh Deivanayagam, said that today the itea industry is facing a huge crisis.”

These include a 23 year low crop harvest, one of the highest interest rates, highest freight rates, vessel’s not calling in large numbers to Colombo Port and other slimier issues.”However the industry is surviving but we need to look at new innovations and also at specialty teas.”

He also called on the government to formulate a long standing national policy for the tea sector.”


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