Sri Lanka threatens ban on imports and blending
The Sri Lankan government says it opposes plans by local tea industry to create a global blending hub on the island. The move comes after several major packers and producers put forward plans to blend highly regarded local tea with lower-quality imported leaves. They claim that import liberalization would benefit from local blending talent and fast shipping connections, and would allow Sri Lanka to become a key link in the global tea supply chain. However, government officials seem more concerned about maintaining local tea's reputation in export markets. They hope that phasing out imports will ensure superior quality and strengthen the "pure Ceylon tea" brand. Last year, Sri Lanka exported 322 million kilograms of tea, including 22 million kilos of imported tea.