Financial Times

Tea industry beginning to feel the heat
The pressure is on the tea industry to quickly improve the quality of its produces up to global standards, where there are potential difficulties due to different countries and regions demanding differing control standards.

The two main markets where improved standards are demanded are the European Union (EU) and Japan. For the EU, it has made it mandatory for HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) standards, as well as agrochemical ones. Japan does not require the HACCP but puts its emphasis on hygienic manufacturing, concerning agrochemicals that are used to protect the plants: these include insecticides, microbicides, fungicides and herbicides.

Here there are fixed maximum residue limits (MRL), where 263 chemicals have MRLs fixed individually, while 15 have been banned altogether. All other chemicals that may be used in the growing process will have a MRL level fixed at 0.01 parts per million or below.

The reasoning behind the moves is to prevent any problems occurring when the products are consumed and are not intended as a potential trade barrier, said Ajit Goonetilleke, Chairman of the Tea Association of Sri Lanka (TASL).
“As the industry contributes 13% of the country’s GDP and employs around 1.5 million people, the upgrades need to be implemented as quickly as possible,” he said.

As it is expected that other countries will follow the EU and Japan, upgrades are urgently required at producers’ factories to meet requirements. For a start, 620 factories have to be upgraded to meet HACCP standards; water supplies also have to be upgraded to meet international, microbiological and chemical standards; hygiene standards have to be raised with the provision for eating areas and better toilet facilities; staff and worker training needs to be conducted to meet the new requirements; and certification by international agencies needs to be acquired.

The TASL-SGS International product certification is based on HACCP, thus the government has set up a task force comprising of experts in the field to address the requirements needed. Even though there are a number of certification systems open to growers, the TASL-SGS is the only one that covers those needed to ensure adequate plant protection. SGS is a leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company based in Switzerland.

The upgrade project is funded by the Asian Development Bank, where 50% of the cost of certification is available through the Plantation Development Project, put together by the Ministry of Plantations Industries.

Those plantations that sign up for the project will also get an addition 50% grant for the relevant training, plus factory development advise from the development project. The tea association will also provide free consultations for plantation owners on what upgrades are needed.

While these upgrades are happening, transport, broking houses and exporters will also be brought into the loop to ensure that the quality of the tea is maintained throughout the supply chain.

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