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The Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) has stepped up its efforts to attract emerging entrepreneurs into the multi-billion-dollar tea industry and enter the highly competitive international market with value-added products. The purpose of the initiative is to encourage emerging entrepreneurs to register as exporters in order to enter the global market, and the government will help them in this process. "There is a great demand for orthodox black tea, green tea, CTC tea, organic tea, handmade tea, and handmade tea sold under the Ceylon tea brand. The plan aims to attract new entrepreneurs who are keen to register as exporters. High-quality products open up the global market and become an important contributor to economic development," SLTB Chairman Jayampathy Molligoda told the Daily Financial Times. He said that SLTB has an ambitious plan to encourage about 25% or 75 new entrepreneurs to register before the end of the year, adding that there are already many people engaged in the import business. Currently, there are 300 tea exporters and approximately 580 factories nationwide. The chairman stated that SLTB will help these emerging exporters with financial assistance, market access, brand promotion and promotional activities. "The plan will create healthier competition to purchase Ceylon tea products at the Colombo auction. We have the largest and most transparent auction in the world. Due to its unique characteristics, our tea is also better than those sold at other auctions. Tea is expensive," he explained. Molligoda believes that with the introduction of new entrepreneurs, they will be able to explore new markets with value-added, innovative and high-quality products while exploring disruptive marketing strategies. "This is a challenging job, but it is not impossible. Our strategy and products have existed for centuries, but the demand is still high. What we need now is to be willing to take advantage of this opportunity to consume discerning tea from all over the world Entrepreneurs who launch new value-added products," he pointed out. He said that as the world pays more and more attention to climate change and protection, new exporters have little way to tell their stories to consumers around the world. "The name of the game is economic sustainability. Our system is sustainable and entrenched. The benefits of the industry gradually penetrate from top to bottom. The Ceylon tea brand has a strong market, but only a few exporters strive to add value to their products This is the opportunity for new entrants. Emerging entrepreneurs can get involved in multiple varieties and added value to tap different market segments on the international stage." He added. Molligoda also stated that with the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, the demand for tea has increased, creating more business opportunities for the industry.  

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