Sri Lanka Tea Shines In Macao

Sri Lanka, the largest producer of orthodox black tea in the world, captured the interest of a large number of visitors to the Macau Tea Expo held from 23-25 May at the new Coati Strip Convention and Exhibition Centre in Macao.

Sri Lanka’s participation was organised by the Commercial Section of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in China, together with the Tea Promotional Unit of the Sri Lanka Tea Board in Japan.

This was the first time that Sri Lanka participated at an exhibition in Macau - dubbed the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of leisure and entertainment. The Sri Lanka Tea sector could not ask for a better timing than this to participate at a Tea expo in Macau especially at a moment when the SAR Government is planning to accelerate the development of the convention and exhibition industry. The inaugural effort yielded high expectations for Sri Lanka Tea in one of the best tourist attractions in Asia that has an annual arrival of more than 21 million visitors.

Sri Lanka participated with a display of a variety of ‘Ceylon Tea’ from well known tea brands such as Watawala, Mabroc, Stassen, Mlesna ,Impra, Easwaran Brothers, Ranfer Hyson’s Sinbad, Jafferjee etc and a huge demand and enthusiasm was shown by the visitors. Visitors to the exhibition were fascinated with the value added Ceylon Tea such as Earl Gray, Lemon, Apple, Peach, Mango, Strawberry, and Mint and spice flavours such as cardamom, cinnamon and clove. It was a novel experience for many new visitors to sample the distinct taste of Ceylon Tea coming from the six agro-climatic districts in which Ceylon tea is grown.

In a new approach the Embassy, together with the Tea Promotional Unit of the Sri Lanka Tea Board in Japan, has been promoting Ceylon Tea on a large scale on mainland China which yielded an extraordinary growth rate of more than 70% last year. The Macau expo was another effort to expand the market in the special Administrative Regions of China. The exhibitors were of the view that this event was one of the best organized and a well-timed effort, taking into consideration the Macau‘s free port status. The exhibitors received many encouraging inquiries from buyers and agents of Tea in Macau and other neighbouring provinces of mainland China during the three days of the expo.

An Asia-Africa Tea Meeting was also held during the Expo where the Commercial Counsellor made a presentation on the Sri Lanka Tea Industry attended by Ambassadors and Commercial Counsellors of Tea Exporting Countries and high officials of China Tea Marketing Association.

The event also provided plenty of opportunities to strengthen cooperation between Sri Lanka and Macau in the fields of trade and investment. Sri Lankan officials also had a fruitful meeting with the Acting President and Executive Director and other high officials of the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion institute (IPIM) during the fair. As a result of this meeting, the IPIM agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding with the trade promotional agency in Sri Lanka and also extended an invitation to Sri Lanka for the 13th Macau International Trade and Investment Promotion Fair and Asian Fashion Fair. Further, the IPIM agreed to provide space in the Monthly News Letter and the web site for Sri Lanka Trade and Investment leads.

With an annual tourist arrival recording a staggering 21 million and an economic growth rate of 28% achieving in the first half of the year 2007, the economic environment of Macau presents a window of opportunities for Sri Lankan products such as Tea, Gems and jewellery, Handicraft, Spices and Herbal Spa Products.

The organizers of the Tea Expo, China Tea Marketing Association and the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, under the auspices of the Macau SAR Government carried out the task to perfection, winning the hearts of all the Sri Lankan exhibitors and the officials for their sheer dedication and support extended during the fair.

Source: Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka