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‘Ceylon Tea’ to receive GI seal
View(s):Expert pledges French-style Appellation d’origine status for Lanka’s famous cuppa
By Sunimalee Dias
Where your goods come from matters in today’s world and this is getting products its seal of authenticity so consumers will be guaranteed of buying the highest quality; which is what the Ceylon Tea brand will sell in future with its sign of Geographical Indication (GI).
Sri Lankan authorities have been working with the French government to ensure Ceylon Tea can obtain the GI certification that will give the product a seal of authenticity about the origin of the tea and its method of production. Ceylon Tea is following in the footsteps of Ceylon Cinnamon that has already obtained GI certification. 
This project started two years ago and on Thursday the Book of Specifications or rules that will indicate the method and processes involved in the manufacture of Ceylon Tea in Sri Lanka has been presented to stakeholders.
This reputation is an asset to Ceylon Tea and it will give producers the benefit of authenticity for their product and consumers the guarantee of buying a quality product, Senior French expert for the Geographical Indication (GI) for Ceylon Tea project Delphine Marie-Vivien said during an interview with the Business Times on Wednesday.
She explained that GI will grant legal protection to the name Ceylon Tea against misuses and frauds.
This project that commenced about two years back has brought all stakeholders together in drafting the rules.
In this respect the teas will be authorised to use the name Ceylon tea only if they have been manufactured according to the required specifications that will give it the seal of GI.
The rules cover aspects related from the field to packaging and also wind and water management in addition to the process involved in making tea. These were drafted by the GI committee established in this respect comprising all industry stakeholders.
Delphine Marie-Vivien: GI will grant legal protection to the name Ceylon Tea against misuses and frauds. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Mrs. Marie-Vivien said this seal of approval will increase the quality of the product and fetch better prices and be picked up in better markets.
This certification is similar to the approval granted to French wines and cheeses and 95 per cent of wines in France have obtained GI and today these wines are capable of fetching prices 2.5 times higher than those without GI.
In fact, producers of raw material also receive a better price and this has also driven up demand as more and more consumers are willing to spend for quality.
The funding for the project was made by the French government through its French Development Agency (AFD) and CIRAD that provides the technical expertise at a cost of Euro1.1 million.
This project will help create and apply for a GI for Ceylon Tea in the European Union (EU) and in two other countries that will then permit producers to adopt and manufacture the teas according to these rules to call their tea “Ceylon Tea.”
These rules will promote quality and increase the resilience of the value chain toward the climate change, Project Assistant Clement Gannac stated.
It will help reduce frauds as there are a number of countries marketing blended teas using the Ceylon Tea name, he stated.
This will also permit to implement the traceability, the CIRAD promotes traceability solutions and alongside these promoted solutions, the need of traceability for the certification will boost initiatives.
The implementing agency will be the Sri Lankan Tea Board (SLTB) and the Tea Smallholders Development Authority (TSHDA).
Currently there are about 3500 GI for products from the EU and neighbouring India is also said to have obtained GI certification for more than 550 of their products.
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