Chaminda Jayawardana from Lumbini Tea Valley Ceylon, who specializes in manufacturing tea in the Ruhuna region of Sri Lanka, foresees a crisis due to the ban on inorganic fertilizer by the government. ” We applaud this very good decision, but we want it to be introduced gradually, not this immediate measure.”
How is the ceylon tea business doing right now?
It was nicely surviving with the Covid,but we have got another obstacle with the government moving for 100% organic farming. So they banned inorganic fertilizer. Because of this ban the tea plantations and the small farmers are facing a sudden problem with no available fertilizer. We applaud this very good decision, but we want it to be introduced gradually, not this immediate measure. Because of this new situation again Sri lanka tea industry is facing a crisis.
In the previous article you mentioned artisanal tea types . How is the development and introduction going?
Artisanal tea trade is going forward despite the fertilizer crisis. A lot of tea manufacturers are interested in producing artisanal teas.
What type of flavor do you think will be a favorite at the end of this year?
I think there will be a big demand for the wellness and herbal flavors with the consumers thinking about their health and well being. So masala chai will be a good choice with the mix of spices coming into the tea. Another flavor that will grow in popularity will be turmeric with it’s health benefits. So all the natural and healthy flavors will be really famous.
