Tea smallholders team up to market unique homemade teas
A group of Sri Lanka’s tea smallholders producing 70 per cent of the country’s export produce has in a joint initiative with local authorities aim to export artisanal and speciality teas to boost revenue with high quality teas.
The Galle Kalutara Tea Estate Owners Association, the Low Country Tea Estate Owners Association, the Medium Scale Tea Estate Owners Association together with the Plantation Management Institute have teamed to boost the promotion of Ceylon specialty teas and artisanal or homemade teas, the Galle Kalutara Tea Estate Owners Association President Ushan Samarasinghe told the Business Times.
He noted that the uniqueness of this tea is that it will be produced through the plucking of the traditional two leaves and a bud concept alone.
In this respect they have also received support from the Plantation Ministry and all its connected institutes and are currently in the final phase of the implementation of the project.
These teas will be produced on the estates itself ensuring high quality in taste and goodness, he noted adding that it will also encourage to showcase the creativity of the growers in addition to adopting environmentally sustainable standards.
These teas will fetch high prices in markets like Japan, Australia, West Asia and Europe, Mr. Samarasinghe said.
This will help to generate an increased export income to the country through the sale of handmade black tea, green tea and handcrafted teas. From time to time there has been an initiative to boost the quality of the export teas through the implementation of the B60 project.
The Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) has been carrying out a project from time to time to boost the quality of leaf by achieving at least 60 per cent in high quality standards termed the B60 project.
But under this new initiative of the tea smallholders, this would ensure they are able to go beyond B90 and thereby enable them to fetch high prices as well.
Mr. Samarasinghe explained that the usual rate of US$4 per kilo can be increased to $20 per kilo by producing these high quality teas.
To carry out this venture they hope to engage undergraduates in universities to create more value addition products.
“We have already received a good feedback for our samples used to promote our venture,” he said adding that “if we get a higher price and an increased revenue then it could be extended to the pluckers as well.
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