Business

Ceylon Tea Brokers say it’s growing stronger, “much like tea in hot water”

Published

5 years ago

2021/08/15

Chrisantha Perera warns of dangers in hasty implementation of chemical fertilizer ban

Ceylon Tea Brokers PLC. (CTBP), a company accounting for 14.77% of tea marketed by the country in volume terms and 15.28 percent in value terms has titled its annual report for 2020/2021 “Defying challenges, achieving growth.”

It says: “Our hard work has borne fruit, as we record a year of growth, inching up the numbers amid challenges, and much like tea in hot water, we will continue to grow stronger with time.”

In his chairman’s review for the year, Mr. Chrisantha Perera who has over 50 year experience in the tea industry, retiring as Chairman/CEO of Forbes and Walker after 44 years with that company, has said CTBP had done ‘exceptionally well’ in the year under review compared to the previous year amid the many challenges the country as a whole had to face.

He noted that the company achieving a much higher bottom line than in the previous year and growing its market share were special highlights for the period under review. Its after-tax profit was up to Rs. 107.53 million from Rs. 21.54 million a year earlier and it paid shareholders a dividend of 35 cents a share against eight cents the previous year.

Perera reported that tea production continued to be disappointing with a 21.6 million kilo (7.2%) decline from the previous year to 278.48 million kilos – the worst since 1997 – with low grown teas accounting for the largest deficit of 20 million kilos.

“Last year’s output was the lowest since 276.86 million kilos (produced) in in 1997,” he said. “The absence of fertilizer application for the greater part of 2019, the extremely hot weather during the first quarter of 2020 and more importantly, the disruption caused by the Covid 19 pandemic brought about the significantly low production in 2020,” he said.

Perera noted that over the last seven years, Sri Lanka’s tea production has been steadily declining and with total production almost 60 million kilos behind 2014. The low grown segment was the biggest loser with a 40 million kilo loss in this period.

The smallholder dominated low grown teas – accounting for nearly 75% of the green leaf harvest – is the most productive elevationally, strongly outpacing both high and mid-grown teas. With the country’s share of the global tea market now below five percent, Perera warned that this declining trend, if not arrested, will seriously affect the sustainability of producers, particularly smallholders.

“Adding to this, the continuously declining availability of ‘Ceylon Tea’ will negatively impact the marketing front, particularly in Middle Eastern countries and Russia, who between them account for over 60% of Sri Lanka’s exports, being compelled to look for alternate suppliers,” he said.

“However, at the time of compiling this report, a welcome recovery is evident with crop figures released for January to May 2021 recording a 134.7 million kilo gain, up 31.6 million kilos (30.66%) over the corresponding period last year. This includes a 34% improvement for the low grown segment, with the high and medium growns increasing 25% in each category.”

But Perera went on to say: “Be that as it may, the government’s recent proposal to switch from the use of chemical fertilizer to organic for all agriculture including tea with immediate effect will hamper plans to increase production.”

He warned that the proposed initiative could result in a short to medium term drop in quality of green leaf harvested and consequently the quality of manufactured tea.

Describing the proposed initiative as “laudable,” in the context of increasing global awareness towards a sustainable economy based on a triple bottom line of “People, Planet and Profits,’ a well thought out implementation plan over a 5-10 year period against an overnight change would have been prudent, he said.

Saying such a step can result in irreparable damage to the tea industry, and consequently the economy, Perera strongly recommended a scientific approach devised by experts in the subject and all associated stakeholder organizations in the plantation industry tasked to formulate the correct strategy.

He also said there appeared to be a mistaken notion relating to the increased Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) occurring through use of chemical fertilizer. Their understanding was that increased MRLs in the final product occur predominantly from incorrect use of pesticides and weedicides.

The top shareholder of CTBP is Ashthi Holdings (Private) Ltd., a company related to Mr. WAT Fernando (30.4%) followed by Mr. WAT Fernando (26.8%), Jetwing Travels (Pvt) Ltd. (18.7%). Ms. NTMS Cooray (6%) Chrisantha Perera and his wife (1.9%) and related companies are among the largest shareholders.

The directors of the company are: Messrs. CPR Perera (chairman), RJN De Mel (deputy chairman), WAT Fernando (MD), DGW De Silva (Director/CEO), KHS Devapriya (former Director/COO), KAD Fernando (Director/COO), Ms. NTMS Cooray, Ms. HMS Perera, BRL Fernando, DH Madawala, HTD Nonis and Z. Mohamed.

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Business

From Mt. Fuji to Sri Pada: Lessons from a father-son climb

Published

13 hours ago

2026/08/30

Thilina Walpola

by SK Samaranayake

For Daham Gunasena, reaching the summit of Mt. Fuji with his 12-year-old son was not the end of the journey but the beginning of a different kind of lesson.

Gunasena, Director – Commercial at SPAR Sri Lanka and a senior business leader, academic and Chartered Accountant, spent nearly 12 hours on August 19 climbing Japan’s highest mountain with his son, Methum. After eight hours of climbing, the pair reached the 3,776-metre summit before beginning a demanding four-hour descent to Fujinomiya 5th Station.

“The summit was only halfway,” Gunasena reflected, describing the experience as a lesson in preparation, perseverance and responsibility.

Their journey began two days earlier with a trial excursion to the 6th Station and the volcanic landscape around Mt. Hoei. The experience allowed Gunasena to assess the altitude, terrain, weather and equipment before deciding whether his son was ready for the summit attempt.

The climb itself reinforced the value of taking one step at a time. Rather than focusing on the distant summit, father and son concentrated on the next marker, the next few steps and short periods of rest.

Reaching the summit brought another lesson. After taking photographs and celebrating, they still had four hours of descent ahead of them over loose volcanic terrain.

“Reaching the top was an achievement. Returning safely was success,” Gunasena said.

The experience also prompted him to reflect on how Japan manages Mt. Fuji, including visitor education, digital information, sanitation, transport, safety and environmental protection.

Having climbed Sri Pada 12 times last year and five times so far this year, Gunasena sees opportunities to apply some of these principles in Sri Lanka without compromising the mountain’s unique pilgrimage traditions.

He suggested a comprehensive digital platform for Sri Pada providing information on weather, congestion, transport, sanitation, first aid and emergencies, while educating foreign visitors about its religious significance.

For Gunasena, however, the most enduring lesson was personal: a mountain can teach what lectures cannot—through preparation, perseverance, respect for nature and the shared experience of taking each step together.

Business

FLIR, Marlbo promote smarter industrial maintenance

Published

13 hours ago

2026/08/30

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lankan industries are being encouraged to adopt advanced condition monitoring technologies to detect equipment problems before they develop into costly failures, as global technology company FLIR and its local partner Marlbo Trading Company strengthen their collaboration.

The companies brought together industry professionals at a technical seminar held on August 20 at Taj Samudra, Colombo, focusing on the use of thermography and acoustic imaging to reduce unplanned downtime, improve energy efficiency and lower maintenance costs.

Organised by Marlbo under the theme “Condition Monitoring Using Thermography and Acoustic Imaging for Measurable ROI,” the seminar highlighted the growing importance of proactive and predictive maintenance in improving equipment reliability and operational efficiency.

FLIR Sales Director – Instrumentation, India, Bhaskar Lala, and APAC Condition Monitoring Specialist David Gambarte shared their expertise on the latest diagnostic technologies and their practical industrial applications.

Thermal imaging can identify abnormal heat patterns linked to electrical and mechanical faults, while acoustic imaging can detect problems that may go unnoticed during routine inspections.

The technology is particularly useful in identifying compressed-air leaks, which can cause significant energy losses and increase operating costs.

Shevon Liyanage, Engineer – Measuring Instruments at Marlbo, also shared insights into applying condition monitoring technologies in the Sri Lankan industrial environment.

Business

Lumbini Tea Valley wins intl award for Singharaja Wirytips

Published

13 hours ago

2026/08/30

Thilina Walpola

Chaminda Jayawardana receiving the award

Lumbini Tea Valley Ceylon won an award for its Singharaja Wirytips at The Leafies: International Tea Awards held in London in 2024, marking another international recognition for the Sri Lankan tea producer.

The award comes as the company marks two decades of direct exports, with its premium and organic Ceylon teas now reaching 35 countries across six continents.

Established in 1984, Lumbini Tea Valley began its direct export drive after Chaminda Jayawardana joined the family business in 2000 alongside his father, Dayapala Jayawardana. The initiative materialised in 2006 with the company’s first direct shipment—a 15-kilogram consignment of Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe (FBOP) tea to the United States.

Since then, the company has expanded its direct-export operations, which now account for around 20% of its total manufacturing output. Following its transition to organic production, approximately half of its organic tea output is exported directly by the company.

Its key export markets include Japan, the United States, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Australia, with direct shipments now reaching 35 countries.

The company said its direct-export model would continue to expand amid growing international demand for traceable, single-origin Ceylon tea, with premium and organic grades at the centre of its export strategy.