“Ceylon Tea became the first Sri Lankan commodity to create international country branding success for Sri Lanka in modern times” said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen recently addressing Vice-Chairman of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Zhang Xiulong. Minister Bathiudeen was in discussions with Vice-Chairman Xiulong on the side-lines of CAEXPO 13 international expo in Nanning (capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region), China. Minister Bathiudeen was leading the 23 member Sri Lankan trade and business delegation to Nanning’s CAEXPO13.

After meeting Vice-Chairman Xiulong, Minister Bathiudeen also addressed the well-attended Summit on Development of Liu Pao Tea Industry held at Nanning International Conference Centre, Nanning.

China is the world’s largest tea market, valued at more than $ 9 billion. The second largest market, Russia is almost half that of China’s at $4 Billion. China was also the country that originally gave Sri Lanka its first tea plants.
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Addressing the Liu Pao tea summit, Minister Bathiudeen said: “Tea was introduced to Sri Lanka from China in 1824. The British brought the first tea plants from China to Sri Lanka in 1824 starting our historic tea journey. Our brand of exported tea gradually became known as Ceylon Tea across the world. As a result Ceylon Tea became the first Sri Lankan commodity to create international branding success for us in modern times.

Ceylon Tea is one of the three main exports to China from Sri Lanka, in 2015, it was the third largest export to China. In fact we have been fortunate enough to establish ourselves so well in China. Our tea export volumes to China in the ten year period of 2005-2015 has increased by a huge 1400 percent. Also by last year more than one fourth -that is 26 percent of China’s tea imports- were supplied by Sri Lanka. This is around 4760 metric tons from the total 18000 tons of tea imported by China from .”
In 2015, the top three Lankan exports to China were Boats, Apparel and Bulk Tea. The $27 Mn bulk tea exports in ’15 were a strong 31% surge from 2014’s $18 Mn bulk tea exports to China from Sri Lanka.