Business

Starchina International Trade Company to buy 4 million kilo grams annually of Pure Ceylon Tea

Published

5 years ago

2021/02/11

Starchina International Trade Company Ltd. of China will buy more than 4 million kilograms of Ceylon Tea annually in terms of an MOU and the import quantity is expected to increase by 10 percent to 15 per cent every year, a government press release said.

The release: The Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with Fujian Starchina International Trade Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of Fuzhou Benny Tea Industries Co. Ltd according to the vision of the government of Sri Lanka to “Promote Investments and Trade”. Minister of Plantations Industries Dr. Ramesh Parthirana and Sri Lanka Tea Board signed a MOU, with one of the largest tea companies in China. The MOU was signed by using Zoom technology in front of the ambassador Dr. Palitha T. B. Kohona of embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing. The other participants were Jayampathy Molligoda, chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, the Group Chairman of Benny Tea Industries Co. Ltd and the Sri Lanka Tea Board representatives in Beijing and the officials of “BEST Energy Co. Ltd” the local representation of Benny Tea Industries Co. Ltd.

This MOU was Initially recognized and approved by the Board Directors of Sri Lanka Tea Board, Plantation Ministry, Attorney Generals office of Sri Lanka, Ministry of Foreign affairs and finally the President and the Prime Minister, head of the Sri Lankan Cabinet.

Chinese market highlights.

• China retail market value: US$ 6 trillion

• Online penetration value: US$ 1.42 trillion

• Estimated foreign imported goods proportion of online: US$ 569 billion

• Internet users in China: 731 million

• Internet users of middle class consumers in China: 400 million (Year 2020 estimation)

• Mobile monthly active users: 620 million

• Mobile transaction on retail online sales: 90%

• Product/brand comments per day: 20 million

China tea market is rapidly growing and converting Green tea to Black tea with a substantial growth. By 2020, China’s Ceylon Tea imports registered 14.2 million kilograms, year-over-year increase by 20%. Sri Lanka average tea production registered 310 million kilograms per year and renowned as the best and cleanest orthodox teas in the world.

Starchina International Trade Company Limited will buy more than 4 million kilograms per year, and predicted to increase the import quantity by 10%-15% annually. Also improving to purchase value added Ceylon tea year by year starting from 60,000 kgs in the first year. The validity of this agreement for 15 years and the advantage is the buying company assures the quantity with an annual increase for the number of years through a legally bound agreement. Starchina International Trade Company Limited currently operating with over 3000, B 2 B clients and more than 180,000 Milk tea shop clients in China.

All Sri Lankan exporters will be enjoying “ZERO” cost to ge into this market as online platform charges, security deposits, annual renewal charges, logistics, operation and promotion fees depend on occasions and cases.

Special credentials of the agreement

• Starchina International Trade Company Limited offers to List Sri Lankan brands on a “PURE CEYLON TEA DEDICATED” O or O online.

• All these teas are marketed with “Original Sri Lankan Brand Names” to market not only in China but also cross border trading.

• All import being done following prevailing rules and regulations. Sri Lankan tea will be shipped tea complying with Sri Lanka rules and regulations to warehouse in Starchina International Trade Company Limited in Fuzhou, Fujian, China

• Starchina International Trade Company Limited will be buying teas from Sri Lankan tea companies under the supervision of Sri Lanka Tea Board on a pre agreed price to ensuring the present trading system.

• Payment will be done every month to the Sri Lankan tea suppliers. Star china International Trade Company Limited will settle all the dues as per the agreement made between the Sri Lankan suppliers. All sales information can be viewed by the respective Sri Lankan tea supplier to secure the transparency and high standards of business ethics, under the supervision of Sri Lanka Tea Board.

• Starchina International Trade Company Limited is responsible and accountable for all their purchases since all requirement parameters will be checked and purchased from the Sri Lankan suppliers and confirmed according to the Starchina International Trade Company Limited requirements.

• Starchina International Trade Company Limited will hold a variety of Ceylon tea promotion activities in China; participate in exhibitions in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other places to help promote dedicated space to Pure Ceylon Tea and Sri Lankan Tea brands.

• Starchina International Trade Company Limited will be participating in the promotional campaigns conducted by Sri Lanka Tea Board and provides fullest support.

• Support on Sri Lanka Tea Factory modernization with technology transfer in aspects of tea plantations systems and tea value addition.

• Business diversification on “TEA TOURISM” involving in services sector by investing a hotel to promote tea culture to the tourist sector.

This is the first occasion that the Sri Lanka Tea Board in getting into signing for an agency (not an exclusive agency ship) agreement with any other country or a private company to increase Ceylon Tea exports. The said MOU and agreement will be uplifted to promote and increase of marketing of Ceylon tea in China in a greater way.

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Business

APHNH aims to make Sri Lanka more competitive for healthcare investment

Published

21 hours ago

2026/03/14

Thilina Walpola

Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni addresses the audience

Sri Lanka private healthcare leaders recently pledged an action plan with timelines to address the practical priorities of Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector while making it more viable for local and foreign investments.

The Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes (APHNH) has committed to converting recommendations from its first Healthcare Leadership Summit into a trackable outcome document with defined actions, responsibilities, and timelines, marking a shift from discussion to implementation in sector reform efforts.

The summit held on March 9 at Waters Edge, Colombo, brought together hospital leaders, policymakers, regulators, insurers, and international experts to address practical priorities for Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector.

A key outcome of the summit was APHNH’s plan to consolidate recommendations into a single, trackable charter that will outline specific actions, assign responsibilities, establish timelines, and provide periodic progress updates.

“Our objective is to bring the right decision-makers into one room and focus on what can be implemented, not only what can be discussed, ” said Raveen Wickremesinghe, President of APHNH. “We are committed to taking the inputs from today and converting them into a clear, trackable set of actions that strengthens quality, transparency and public confidence, while supporting national health priorities. “

The summit featured insights from Dr. Hafeez Rahman Padiyath, Dr. Hamdani Anver, and Chandana L. Aluthgama on scaling quality and operational discipline. A keynote and fireside discussion with Dr. Paiboon Eksangsri, President of the Private Hospital Association of Thailand, explored lessons from Thailand’s private healthcare development and conditions for making Sri Lanka more competitive for healthcare investment.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

Business

Atlas SipSavi Naththal Poronduwa records positive public participation, benefiting 10,000 students

Published

21 hours ago

2026/03/14

Thilina Walpola

Atlas, Sri Lanka’s No. 1 learning brand, successfully concluded Atlas SipSavi Naththal Poronduwa, a national initiative that saw strong public participation in supporting children at risk of dropping out of school due to financial hardship. At a time when more than 22,000 Sri Lankan children leave school each year due to rising economic challenges, the initiative reinforced Atlas Sipsavi’s long-standing ‘No Child Left Behind’ promise by turning seasonal generosity into meaningful educational support.

The initiative reached 10,000 students, with beneficiary schools carefully selected to ensure support reached those most in need. The collected books were distributed to children at risk of dropping out, including those whose education had been disrupted by recent adverse weather, ensuring students had essential learning resources at the start of the new school term. Through its flagship Atlas SipSavi programme, the brand focused on improving access to education by providing essential learning tools, scholarships, and infrastructure to create better learning environments, bringing its purpose of ‘making learning fun’ to life in a meaningful way. As part of the initiative, the public was invited to donate schoolbooks, with each contribution matched one-for-one by Atlas. Donation boxes were placed at all Keells outlets island-wide and at Sarvodaya District Offices, making it easy for communities to take part.

Business

John Keells Logistics expands strategic engagement with CWIT through inter-terminal transport operations

Published

21 hours ago

2026/03/14

Thilina Walpola

Representing JKLL: Lasitha Manchanayake: CEO, Dilum Liyanage: Snr. Manager - Transport Operations, Kavinda Jayasinghe: Manager - Operations and Randi Peiris: Asst. Manager - Commercial. Representing the John Keells Group: Zafir Hashim: President - Transportation, Plantations and IT Sectors and Asha Perera: CFO. Representing CWIT: Munish Kanwar: CEO, Iresh Siriwardena: COO, Devanshu Bhatia: Head of Techno Commercial, Madhuranga Wijesekara: In Charge - GATE Process, Sandun Niroshan: Duty Manager.

John Keells Logistics (Pvt) Ltd (JKLL), one of Sri Lanka’s leading third-party logistics solutions providers, has successfully expanded its operational engagement with Colombo West International Terminal (Private) Limited (CWIT), through inter-terminal transport services within the Port of Colombo. This enhanced engagement further strengthens CWIT’s efforts to improve operational efficiency, reliability, and scalability across terminal activities.

Inter-terminal transport plays a critical role in modern port operations, requiring high levels of coordination, precision, and operational discipline. JKLL’s appointment for ITT operations reflects CWIT’s confidence in the company’s demonstrated capabilities in managing complex transport operations within a high-throughput port environment.

The ITT operations are underpinned by JKLL’s technology-enabled logistics framework, incorporating real-time fleet tracking, performance monitoring systems, and data-driven operational planning. These capabilities provide enhanced visibility and control over transport movements, while ensuring compliance with established safety, productivity, and service quality standards.

The awarding of this engagement to JKLL is a testament to the successful implementation of the Inter-Terminal Vehicle (ITV) operations undertaken by John Keells Logistics at CWIT during the previous year. The ITV assignment was executed through structured operating procedures and disciplined service delivery, contributing to improved cargo movement, operational coordination, and service continuity within the terminal. The performance outcomes of the ITV operations provided the basis for the subsequent expansion of the partnership into ITT services.