Business

Sri Lanka tea industry facing up to new challenges

Published

6 years ago

2020/11/5

Since the Spanish flu infected close to a third of the, then global population a century ago, not even the First & Second World Wars could bring about an enormous tragedy on the human race until the COVID 19 pandemic hit all corners of Planet Earth. The New Corona Virus cases are already racing towards the 50 million mark and the death toll exceeding 1.2 million people with just the Second Wave of the pandemic beginning to spread all over the world like a wild fire aided by the natural wind.

The in tropical & mystic island of Sri Lanka blessed with abundance of rich culture and fertile nature, rain forest, daily direct sunlight of at least 6 hours throughout the year resulting in a conducive climate, soil and weather ideal for growing tea.

Sri Lanka in entirety and the tea industry in particular overcame the First Wave of the COVID 19 during the 2nd Quarter of 2020 with admirable success. The immediate transformation from an “outcry system” to an online electronic Colombo Tea Auction after more than 125 years and the continuation of the total value chain mechanism from the growing, plucking, manufacturing, selling at the weekly auctions, blending & packaging, and finally marketing & exporting branded, packeted or bulk form during the lockdown by defining the tea industry and its export process as an essential service saved the day for “Ceylon Tea”. Though the tea crop has declined over 10% due to a number of causes, the tea prices fetched at the Colombo Tea Auction has in fact appreciated by 15% up to end of September 2020 vis-a-vis same period of last year from Rs 542 per kilo to Rs 624 per kilo.

Today, the world has reached a crucial milestone where every nation is searching for human immunity boosting methods to counter the Corona Virus infection until an effective vaccination is introduced to the global masses. In that context, drinking warm beverages and inhaling hot vapour is generally believed to be helpful. This is where the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (TRI) in collaboration with the analytical laboratory of SLTB has conducted a literature survey and further studies on “Theaflavins in Black Tea” and concluded black tea may be helpful in controlling and flushing out the viruses. The TRI has released a scientific publication under the topic “Antiviral properties of Tea” where it has been noted that drinking Black Tea helps to fight viruses. It could theoretically draw a parallel to a Taiwan research study (original article published in 2005) where the chemical structure of 64 compounds had been bioinformatically modelled against SARS – COVID – 2.

The hypothesis developed by the scientists that “Theaflavins” an antioxidant polyphenol richly found in Black Tea could potentially inhibit an enzyme from the Corona family and increase the human immunity, will need further investigations to establish authenticity. Nevertheless, “Theaflavins” is proven to be a compound which could alleviate respiratory diseases and open air passages in the human lungs for the facilitation of breathing. Further, the laboratory scientists at Sri Lanka Tea Board suggest, that frequent consumption of hot Black Tea (without sugar & milk) and inhaling the tea fumes is supportive of flushing viruses trapped in the throat and nasal area. This reaction helps in improving the immune capacity and inhibiting inflammation due to Catechins and Polyphenols contained in Black Tea. It should be mentioned here that consumption of Black Tea has not been proven medically as a treatment against the COVID 19 until extensive research studies are conducted with human trials.

In this connection, the Sri Lanka tea industry stakeholders have moved rapidly towards online meetings, lively discussions and working group sessions with the international clientele through virtual platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom conferences. All promotional campaigns for Ceylon Tea for the future are being focused through digital and social media against the backdrop of a pandemic lockdown in many global destinations. Utilizing the power of social media applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, We chat etc through an identified panel of Influences, Bloggers, Authentic Opinion Makers and a few Celebrities Ceylon Tea clips, videos, messages, electronic banners etc are to be aired within the global campaign. It will be reinforced through search engines marketing availing Google, Yandex, Baidu and other effective digital media as per the respective countries of operation. This strategy is to be combined with other necessary upgrades on the supply chain mechanism.

Hasitha de Alwis Consultant

All News Advertisement

Business

PM ‘Rings the Bell’ at CSE to champion financial literacy and investor education

Published

23 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

P.M. Dr.Harini Amarasuriya

As part of World Investor Week (WIW) 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) joined stock exchanges around the world in ringing the market opening bell for financial literacy on 5 October 2026, under the patronage of Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

World Investor Week is an annual global campaign led by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) to raise awareness of the importance of investor education and investor protection. The “Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy” initiative, pioneered by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), brings together stock exchanges and other stakeholders worldwide to promote greater financial literacy and encourage individuals to make informed financial decisions.

The ceremony also marked the 40th anniversary of the CSE and the joint launch by the SEC and the CSE of the Stock Market Game, an online stock market simulation based on the ATrad trading system.

The Stock Market Game enables participants to gain practical experience of how the stock market works, make investment decisions and construct portfolios of listed shares without using real money. The platform is accessible through the websites of the SEC and CSE and is expected to serve as an important practical tool for promoting financial education. It is envisaged that the Stock Market Game will also be used to conduct simulation competitions among universities and the 100 Capital Market Clubs established in schools across the country.

The ceremony also featured the commemorative issuance of a stamp and First Day Cover to mark the 40th anniversary of the CSE. Issued in collaboration with the Department of Posts and the Philatelic Bureau of Sri Lanka, the commemorative stamp and First Day Cover were presented to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, by the SEC Chairman Snr. Prof. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara and Ray Abeywardena, Director CSE and Chairman of Central Depository Systems (CDS).

Welcoming the gathering, Rajeeva Bandaranaike, Chief Executive Officer of the CSE, highlighted the importance of obtaining reliable information when making investment decisions.

“We operate in a digital world where a vast amount of information and data is disseminated through social media. While some of this information is factual, some may be inaccurate or misleading. When investing in the stock market, it is essential to make informed and prudent investment decisions. Therefore, investors should obtain information and data from reliable and responsible sources and persons before making investment decisions.”

Addressing the gathering, SEC Chairman Snr. Prof. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara emphasised that the SEC’s role extends beyond regulation to facilitating the further development of the capital market.

“The SEC needs to determine how best to introduce the stock market to Generation Alpha, Generation Beta and generations beyond. When it comes to investors, we need to build confidence in the market, because people will invest only when they have confidence in the market.’’

Business

Rs. 5 million worth of prizes to be given at 8th edition of CSE Masterminds Quiz Competition

Published

23 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has announced that the eighth edition of the CSE Masterminds Quiz will be held on 9th October 2026, from 3.00 p.m. onwards, at the Main Ballroom, Shangri-La Colombo.

Recognised as Sri Lanka’s premier capital market quiz competition, CSE Masterminds brings together teams from the public and private sectors. Participants will be tested across international business, global markets, current affairs, the Sri Lankan economy and business, the Sri Lankan stock market, and sports and entertainment, before a concluding rapid-fire round.

This year the winning team can win up to Rs. 2,000,000, the runners-up up to Rs. 1,000,000, and the second runners-up Rs. 750,000. Sector awards will also be presented to the highest-performing team from each participating sector. Guest participants will also be able to compete in rounds of Audience questions, and will have the opportunity to participate a raffle draw for three free return tickets provided by Fits Aviation (Pvt) Ltd.

The evening will also include an exclusive after-party with live music provided by the band ‘Doctor’ featuring guest performer Umara Sinhawansa, fine food and beverages, providing an opportunity for networking and celebration. Every participant will receive a premium goodie bag made possible by the support of the event’s sponsorship partners. Collectively, the event will feature over Rs. 5 million worth of prizes, rewards, and giveaways, encompassing championship prizes, sector awards, audience engagement prizes, raffle draw offerings, and goodie bags.

Sponsorship partners include:

Platinum Sponsors: Hatton National Bank PLC and Bartleet Religare Stockbrokers (Pvt) Ltd.

Gold Sponsors: Ex-Pack Corrugated Cartons PLC, Asha Securities Ltd., and Lanka Securities (Pvt) Ltd.

Silver Sponsors: Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., Capital Trust Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., LOLC Holdings PLC, Arpico Ataraxia Asset Management (Pvt) Ltd., IronOne Technologies (Pvt) Ltd., and LankaPay (Pvt) Ltd.

Co-Sponsors: Access Engineering PLC, Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, CryptoGen (Pvt) Ltd., Deloitte Lanka (Private) Limited, Dialog Finance PLC, Efutures (Pvt) Ltd., People’s Leasing & Finance PLC, Senfin Asset Management (Pvt) Ltd., and Softlogic Stockbrokers (Pvt) Ltd.

Business

NCCSL to conduct practical workshop on food labelling and advertising regulations in Sri Lanka

Published

23 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) is organizing a one-day practical workshop on “Food Labelling & Advertising Regulations in Sri Lanka” on Thursday, 8th October 2026 from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. at the National Chamber of Commerce, Colombo 10. The workshop has been organised to provide a practical understanding of the latest regulatory requirements governing the food products labelling and advertising of food products in Sri Lanka, with particular attention to regulatory developments applicable in 2026, compliance requirements, and the potential legal and financial implications of non-compliance.

As food products increasingly compete not only with quality and price but also on packaging, labelling and promotional claims, businesses must ensure the information they communicate to consumers is accurate, transparent and consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. Understanding these requirements is therefore essential for businesses seeking to protect their brands, maintain consumer confidence, and minimize regulatory and legal risks.

The practical workshop will go beyond an overview of regulations and focus on how businesses can apply regulatory requirements in their day-to-day operations. Participants will be guided through key areas of food regulatory compliance, including the national food regulatory framework, recent food labelling regulations and key changes, mandatory approvals and prohibitions relating to food labelling, and the litigation process associated with regulatory violations. The programme will also cover several areas of growing importance to the food industry, including the EU EMPCO Directive, food colour coding regulations, regulations relating to food trans-fatty acids and the importance of compliance in the use of food additives. Practical exercises will further enable participants to apply their knowledge to real-world compliance situations and strengthen their ability to identify potential regulatory concerns.

For further information and registration, please contact the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka on 011 4741788 – Nethmi or Udula – 071 403 4775.