A new programme to prevent export of dust tea

A new programe is being planned to prevent the export of dust tea to the foreign market.
Information has surfaced on an organized gang which is engaged in the dispatch of dust tea to the foreign market. Industrialists claim that this is a serious threat to Sri Lanka’s tea industry. Drawing the attention to this menace, a decision has been taken to initiate several measures to suspend the dispatch of dust tea to the foreign market.
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that action was being taken to submit cabinet memorandum to this effect to Parliament.
The Minister said that a proposal has been made through the Sri Lanka Tea Board. It will soon be presented to the Cabinet. There is only 10 to 15 percent black tea that is extracted. But the Minister said that what actually happens is that without being satisfied with this quantity, some apply chemicals and artificially blacken the tea and export it. This seriously impacts the entire tea industry in the country. The Minister said that a decision has been taken to allocate a bin number for the 10 to 15 percent extracted tea and present it to the auctions.
The Minister was speaking at the National Plantation Awards 2012 ceremony held at the Plantation Ministry auditorium. The event was organized by the Ministry.