Thousands of jobs at risk By Indika Sri Aravinda The  tea industry, the country’s second largest net foreign exchange earner is facing a potential crisis as a result of the economic sanctions imposed on Iran by the US government, the Sri Lanka Tea Board said. Tea Board Chairperson Janaki Kuruppu

Tea export earnings increased by 16.1% to US$ 1,375 million last year due to both increased volumes and high prices. Ceylon tea continued to fetch the highest prices in the major auction centres of the world last year mainly due to the fine quality of Ceylon tea and the high international demand for orthodox tea. ...

Colombo (ICRC): The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has purchased 118 tonnes of locally-grown tea in Sri Lanka and shipped it to Jordan and Pakistan for distribution to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and resident populations affected by armed conflict and internal violence. ...