Category: Other
Sri Lanka tea prices end year on high note
Dec 23, 2010 (LBO) – Prices of Sri Lanka’s low grown teas, which make up 60 percent of production, rose at the last auction for the year this week with average prices also higher than last year, brokers said. “There was better demand at this week’s auction for low grown teas and prices gained selectively […]
Sri Lanka registers Ceylon tea intellectual property claim
Dec 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has registered a claim locally for intellectual property protection for Ceylon tea under global ‘Geographical Indicators’ rules that would help market its main export product, a senior official said. That allowed the country to market Ceylon tea worldwide as an environmentally friendly and ozone friendly product. The government […]
India scraps onion tax as prices soar
NEW DELHI, December 22, 2010 (AFP) – The Indian government, facing mounting public anger over soaring onion costs, on Wednesday scrapped tax on imports of the vegetable to try to rein in prices of the ingredient. The government has been feeling the heat over inflation as the opposition BJP has seized on the issue to […]
Foreign firms look to increase solar power presence in India
MORABANDAR, December 22, 2010 (AFP) – The Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site off the coast of India’s financial capital Mumbai, draw hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Local people could sell back surplus energy to the grid, he added, while the government should provide subsidies, as it does to the coal industry […]
Sri Lanka tea output crosses 300mn kilo mark
Dec 21, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea production fell in November 2010 from a year ago but crossed 300 million kilos for the year as it appeared headed for a new record annual crop, Tea Board data showed. Tea out put in November fell almost nine percent to 26. 7 million kilos from a […]
India suspends exports of onions as prices surge
NEW DELHI, December 20, 2010 (AFP) – India suspended exports of onions, a key food staple, on Monday after prices of the vegetable soared, adding to the government’s inflation woes. Prices of onions — commonly used to add flavour to Indian food — have surged in the past few days to up to 80 rupees […]
Sri Lanka bans felling coconut trees to battle prices
December 20, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government on Monday banned the felling of coconut trees as the island battled a severe shortage of nuts — a dietary staple — and ordered imports for the first time. Coconut development minister Jagath Pushpakumara said the government had outlawed the cutting down of coconut trees in a […]
Garment scraps head for Western living rooms at Christmas
HATIBANDHA, December 19, 2010 (AFP) – Every year, Bangladesh’s garment sector produces billions of dollars worth of high-street clothes for major western brands — and generates mountains of fabric offcuts in the process. While an informal recycling sector has sprung up to deal with the scraps of leftover jeans and T-shirts churned out by the […]
China, Pakistan to formalise 10 billion dollar deals
ISLAMABAD, December 18, 2010 (AFP) – China and Pakistan are set to conclude another 10 billion dollars’ worth of deals on Saturday, the latest signings on a trade focused trip to South Asia for Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Business leaders are scheduled to formalise deals at Islamabad’s five-star Marriott Hotel, where a devastating suicide truck […]
Expert Visit
December 18, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has softened its stance and agreed to welcome a panel of experts appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to probe alleged war crimes, a minister said Saturday. UN sources said no dates had yet been finalised for the UN experts to visit Sri Lanka, but noted that […]
Sri Lanka battles coconut price spike
December 17, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s authorities have imposed price control coconuts — a dietary staple — by setting a ceiling price and arranging imports to bring down prices. So important is the coconut to the national cuisine that shortages in the past have had serious political implications and even been held responsible for […]
Sri Lanka tea prices seen firm in 2011 first quarter
Dec 17, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea could see strong demand in the first quarter of 2011 as it is a low cropping period and supply and demand are finely balanced at the end of this year, brokers said. There was good demand at the penultimate auction this week and prices were mostly firm. […]