News

Despite Covid-19 it was ‘business as usual’ for SL’s tea industry

Published

5 years ago

2020/09/20

By Steve A Morrell

Consultant Tea Board Promotions and former Director, Tea Board, Hasitha De Alwis, said Sri Lanka is better known as the origin of Ceylon Tea.

He said on his travels to many parts of the world, when asked where he was from, he replied ‘Sri Lanka’. However, people most didn’t recognize his origins, but when he said he was from the country that produced Ceylon Tea, they knew where he came from.

Speaking as the chief guest at the fourth Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Association of Non Vessel Owning Container Carriers Agents (SLANA), he noted that the strength of the Ceylon Tea brand persisted throughout its 150 year history.

Despite the Covid-19 disruption to commercial activity, experienced worldwide, Sri Lanka’s tea industry continued in an atmosphere of ‘business as usual’, he said.

Apart from a two-week spell of recalibrating options, usual tea auctions resumed. Tea exports to routine destinations continued with no interruptions and the deserved continence of normality was swiftly restored. The cry–out system is now replaced by an electronic mode for bids for such consignments. The industry’s resilience to disruption was fully endorsed and even during the second world war, the tea industry in the country continued with no interruption, De Alwis further said.

Forex earned from tea amounted to around US$ 1.5 billion. The industry is directly responsible for the employment of about one million people. Additionally, those indirectly in employment and dependent on the industry also numbers about one million, In effect, two million persons, or about 10 percent of the population are dependent on tea, he outlined.

Leading buyer countries importing Ceylon tea include, Iraq, Kurdistan, Turkey, Russia, Iran, Libya, China, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Dubai and Japan. Additionally, value added Ceylon Tea is also exported to 180 countries worldwide, including the US, he continued.

“Three hundred million kilos or 300,000 metric tons of tea are exported to these countries each year”, he elaborated.

Although, tea is not the main foreign exchange earner any more, its dependent factor to the economy is acknowledged and accepted as the net leading earner and the only indigenous commodity that is self-reliant generating valuable forex, de Alwis stressed.

Chairperson, SLANA, Harsha De Silva, in his annual address to members said although the Covid-19 pandemic adversely affected the economy over the past seven months, there is gradual recovery now.

The number of containers lying idle in the port runs into thousands. However, as requested by the authorities, members of SLANA were able to convince the respective Non Vessel Operator Common Carriers and principals to secure demurrage waivers, discounts in demurrage charges and increase the number of free days.

He said about 45 members of SLANA visited the Hambantota Terminal last year, which was well received.

He also referred to the salutary services rendered by Captain Rajendran.

Secretary, Swabha Wickramasinghe proposed the vote of thanks.

All News Advertisement

News

Navy seize an Indian fishing boat poaching in northern waters

Published

4 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 01 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 11 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan of Kareinagar, Jaffna.

The Northern Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, naval craft of the Northern Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters off Kovilan.

Meanwhile, compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of one Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 11 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

The seized boat (01) and Indian fishermen (11) were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.

Latest News

Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

11 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

Members of all ranks from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force have collectively donated a day’s basic salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Accordingly, the total contribution made by the Tri-Forces amounts to LKR. 372,776,918.28.

The cheques representing the financial contributions were handed over on Wednesday (31 December) at the Presidential Secretariat to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

The donations comprised LKR. 250 million from the Commander of the Army, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo; LKR. 73,963,879.71 from the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and LKR. 48,813,038.97 from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present on the occasion.

News

CEB demands 11.57 percent power tariff hike in first quarter

Published

13 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.

According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.

Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.

The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.

In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.

The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.

The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.

Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.

By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️