Business

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation to Host an Online Dialogue on Tea

Published

6 years ago

2021/03/14

Representing Ceylon Tea, Dilmah CEO to address on ideas and actions for the tea industry

Bringing to light the challenges faced by tea producers in India and Sri Lanka, the South Asia office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) has organised an Online Business Dialogue under the topic: RESTART ASIAN ECONOMIES: Ideas and Actions for the Tea Industry on 15th March 2021.

Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. With such large-scale use, the production of tea is dominated by a few countries. South Asia as a region is fortunate to produce high quality tea. India, Sri Lanka are among the top 5 exporters of tea in the world. There are thousands of varieties of tea and scientists believe that drinking tea has health benefits attached to it. This perception has also been a factor giving rise to tea consumption in certain parts of the world. Clinical benefits that tea can enhance immunity which can help to fight diseases.

India has produced approx. 1.2 million tonnes of tea, Sri Lanka has produced approx. 300,000 tonnes of tea.

In the year 2020, India saw a decline of 18% in its tea exports. The primary reason behind India’s shortfall in the exports was the strict lockdown which led to skiffing off of overgrown leaves across tea estates. “It resulted in an average year-on-year crop loss of 10% which, in turn, affected exports of good quality tea by around 18%” according to Mr Atul Asthana, MD and CEO, Goodricke Group. This has resulted in India losing its market in countries like Iran, Russia and even Pakistan. Pakistan is the largest importer of tea, importing tea worth over 570 million US $. In 2020, Kenya has become the main exporter of tea to Pakistan.

In Sri Lanka, the tea exports showed a decline of approx. 16% in 2020 when comparing this with 2019 for the period Jan-Jun. However, exports to China increased in 2019, with the youth in China taking a liking for Sri Lankan black tea and this trend continued in 2020. Sri Lanka also introduced the online auctions to tea in 2020.

Distinguished resource persons from the tea industry will discuss solutions and ideas to RESTART their economies and their own personal experiences of how they addressed the challenges posed by COVID-19. This interaction will allow for exchange of ideas, challenges faced by the entrepreneurs and their solutions as well as the role of the government during these trying times.

Tea has become synonymous with South Asians and with abundant tea production, South Asia is both a producer and a consumer of tea. It produces high quality tea and exports its tea across the globe. Whereby countries like India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are among the top producers of tea in the world, tea production in Nepal has not been scaled up to realise its potential.

The programme will discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by entrepreneurs in the tea industry especially during COVID and solutions. What are the lessons learnt during COVID. The programme will also discuss future prospects of the tea industry in a changing global environment.

The panelists for the programme are eminent entrepreneurs, not just from the tea industy but also actively engaged in social enterprise. Rudra Chatterjee, from India, Rudra Chatterjee is the Managing Director of Luxmi Tea, founded in 1912, is one of the world’s finest producers of tea, making 30 million kg of tea from 25 estates in India and in Rwanda. Makaibari, acquired by Luxmi in 2013, produces some of the most famous teas in the world. Rudra is an adjunct faculty at IMI and is a guest faculty in IIM Calcutta. He writes op-ed columns for The Statesman and is a guest columnist for The Telegraph. He is a TEDx speaker and was awarded the young entrepreneur award by Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2018.

Rudra served as the President of Indian Chamber of Commerce (2018-19), and is currently serving as the Chairman-Eastern Region of FICCI.

Dilhan C. Fernando, the CEO of Dilmah Tea, is also the Director of the Dilmah School of Tea – the first international school of tea. Driving innovation in tea, Dilhan has taken tea beyond a cup with Dilmah in tea mixology and gastronomy; from pioneering tea inspired dining concepts to hosting global competitions such as, the “Tea Inspiration for the 21st Century” culinary competition, he has challenged Tea Aficionados from around the world to reimagine tea as an ingredient for morning, afternoon and evening. In addition, he also manages the humanitarian and environmental outcomes of Dilmah and is the Chairman of the United Nations Global Compact in Sri Lanka, a corporate sustainability initiative by the UN.

Dilhan currently chairs the Biodiversity Sri Lanka Platform which was pioneered by Dilmah Conservation together with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

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Business

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

Published

31 mins 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

32 mins 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

33 mins 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.