MTI Tea Strategy Forum to feature industry experts

The MTI Tea Forum that will be held on Wednesday, 23 January 2013 will feature several industry experts representing the entire tea value chain. Malin Goonetileke – Secretary General of The Planters Association will focus on the challenges encountered by the plantation sector, which comprises the 23 RPCs and over 300,000 tea smallholders.

Anil Perera – CEO of Tea Smallholder Factories will highlight the challenges faced by the tea factory owners, given that Sri Lanka has over 780 such factories, which results in a highly fragmented one and high competition to collect the leaves from the small holders. The dynamics of the Colombo Tea Auction and the role of the brokers will be the focus of Anil Cooke – President/MD of Asia Siyaka Commodities.
On the demand chain front, there will be three diverse tea exporters sharing their experience and responding to any questions from the audience in what is expected to be a lively debate. This includes Rohan Fernando – Chairman of HVA Foods, Jayantha Keragala – Jt. MD of Ceylon Tea Marketing, Jayantha Karunaratne – MD of Imperial Teas Group – all of whom have extensive experience in different geographical markets.
Niraj De Mel – Former Chairman of Sri Lanka Tea Board and Former Managing Director of Vanrees Ceylon, given the different roles he has played in the industry, will be in a position to comment on challenges that cut across the entire tea value chain  
For reservations please email e.events@mtiworldwide.com or call 0115747897.