The first tea exports to Russia, since the lifting of the temporary ban imposed by the latter country on Sri Lanka’s agricultural produce had been sent, said Tea Board Commissioner, Jayantha Edirisinghe.
He explained that they had handed over 62,131kg of tea which met Russian standards and approved by the Tea Board to Sri Lanka Customs on January 2. Tea growers could now engage in tea production without any fear, said the Commissioner, as he believed that in future they would receive an even better price for Sri Lankan tea in Russia.
Edirisinghe further noted that given the swift action taken by the President, Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation Industries Naveen Dissanayake at a diplomatic level, they were able to lift the ban which had been imposed for six months, within two weeks.
Sri Lanka exports 11 percent of its tea to Russia. In December last year, Russia imposed a ban on its tea on the premise that there was a larvae of the khapra beetle in one of its packages.