Ceylon tea to brew well in US, China
Sri Lanka is trying to secure emerging tea markets like China and the US that are already over US$50 million worth sectors. US and China are the two main emerging markets, Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) Chairman Rohan Pethiyagoda told the Business Times on Thursday. He noted that they were currently studying these markets and identified that China is a very diversified sector and were looking at carrying out targeted marketing in the main cities. The main market is from online sales, Mr. Pethiyagoda explained adding that they were looking at the types of teas to market like the gift teas, specialty and normal range. In the US the focus would be on California where they have found a targeted audience of young people who have taken to tea drinking due to health benefits and other trends.
Sri Lanka would be looking at entering these markets in a targeted approach with a possible next day delivery method firstly getting things in order by attracting a few vendors to make a reach. In 2015 according to the Sri Lanka Customs records, Ceylon tea sold 3.7 million kg in the US for a total value of $21.9 million which was a drop from the previous year’s figure of 4.5 million kg at $26.1 million. Ceylon Tea direct exports to China have recorded an increase of up to $32.9 million in 2015 for a total quantity of 7.1 million kg. In 2014 however, the teas sold amounted to 4.7 million kg at a total value of $24 million. In the meantime, Sri Lanka is also trying to secure trade concessions to access a larger share of the Turkish market. In this regard discussions are underway with the Trade Ministry and Turkish authorities, Mr. Pethiyagoda said.