Category: Agriculture

LONDON, Jan 9 (AFP) – The cup of tea, that staple of everyday English life for centuries, officially became a national icon Monday as the British government launched a new project to celebrate the country’s cultural heritage.The humble “cuppa” was named as one of 12 symbols that best represents England in an online initiative spearheaded […]

Tea producing neighbours India and Sri Lanka will join forces to lobby for a common standard for minimum pesticide residual levels in black tea. Tea producing countries are also calling for a change in the way the tea is tested, accounting for the fact that black tea is drunk rather than chewed and eaten. Existing […]

Despite lower productions since October, the island’s annual tea production could still beat the 2002 record of 310 million kilos.Asia Siyaka Commodity Brokers said “Even though the heavy rains in October and November caused a production short fall against 2004, Sri Lanka is still on its way to achieving a record an annual figure in […]

Tea trails, four refurbished colonial bungalows nestled in the tea decked hills of Bogavantalawa is attracting high end visitors from mostly UK. Tourists from UK who like to experience the kind of lifestyle their ancestors lived here during the British Raj are visiting these boutique bungalows and have added a new revenue stream to its […]

The tea industry could start off the new year on a low price branch, with the current wet weather weighing down on quality and as a result on auction prices.The weekly sales average is already on a down trend at Rs.193.51 this week, down from Rs. 196.70 in early November trading and Rs.207.69 in 2004. […]

Plantation workers are the poorest segment in the country despite tea being an export crop and heavy private sector involvement in its trade. Government divested ownership in plantation companies in the early 1990’s which led to productivity gains and some improvement in living conditions of workers. But incidence of poverty in estates increased during the […]

Russians are paying more for a good cuppa, spending an average US$ 1.82 this year, up from US$ 1.69 in 2004. Asia Siyaka Commodity Brokers in its weekly tea report quoted head of the Rusteacoffee industry lobby Ramaz Chanturiya saying that tea consumption in Russia will remain stable in the foreseeable future, but the share […]

The Sri Lankan tea industry could be warming up to blending imported teas, not to lose out on a price driven global market place. Sri Lanka, which has a lobby against blending imported teas saw imported teas for re-export grow to 6.4 mn kilos up to Aug 25 form about 4 mn kilos in 2003. […]

Sri Lanka’s tea exports have not caught up with its fast growing production this year, with the difference between the two quantities notching up to 27 million kilos, up from an average 10 million kilos in other years. Industry watchers however say the extra teas could be absorbed in the current winter buying.The higher than […]

A renovated old tea factory is now housing the one of the most unique industry related museums for tea close to the Kandy town.The venture is supported by all tea related industry associations with some of them extending even financial support. Its promoters say the museum is part of efforts to lift the industry image […]

Weekly tea prices are slowly edging up, with this weeks auction pushing the monthly average to Rs. 188.43, up from Rs. 181.24 in late August. The annual average however is only some 45 cents higher from late August at Rs. 180.45. Industry watchers say prices will improve further in the coming weeks, especially with the […]

India has called for duty free access for its teas into Sri Lanka under the latest round of CEPA talks that concluded in end August. A weekly Asia Siyaka Commodities report said India is asking for duty free access for green and black teas in three kilos and larger pack sizes. The Siyaka report said […]