Session on Beginners’ Guide to Produce Quality Specialty/Artisanal Teas

Beginners’ Guide to produce Quality Specialty/Artisanal Teas Session under the Theme ‘Create New Home for Ceylon Tea’: Tuesday, 27 February 2024 at TRI Mid Country Research, Advisory and Extension Centre, Hantane

The Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (TRISL) has been facilitating specialty/artisanal tea producers under the theme “Create a New Home for Ceylon Tea” and the second session of the series was successfully held on Hantana, Mid Country Research Advisory and Extension Centre, on February 27, 2024.

The programme attracted more than 80 participants from Colombo, Kandy, Rathnapura, Galle, Puttalam, Gampaha, Matara, and Kalutara regions and the group comprised of small and medium-scale growers, artisanal tea producers, interested entrepreneurs, academics and university students.

The event covered technical presentations, product demonstrations, tea tasting, and a knowledge-sharing session where existing specialty and artisanal tea producers shared hands-on experiences, difficulties, barriers, and lessons learned. Additionally, the details on financial facilities available from the HNB and People Bank were also provided to the start-ups and interested parties. Samples collected from the producers will be of significant value for TRI in generating work related to certification and regulation purposes.

The great enthusiasm of the knowledge-hunting newcomers to this segment opened up new R&D avenues to TRISL to ensure economic benefits, showcase new product ranges with unique functional properties, culture, stories, etc., and formulate national standards and GAPs and GMPs for the specialty/artisanal tea team for SLTB to regulate and promote in local and international markets.

TRI Remarks Commercialization of “Ceylon Tea Wine”

Making another successful milestone in its history, the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (TRI) signed the agreement with International Distillers Ltd (IDL) to commercialize its patented process for the preparation of “Ceylon Tea Wine” on 19th January 2023 at the Ministry of Plantation Industries premises, Battaramulla.

Mr. Chinthaka Lokuhetti, the Chairman of the Tea Research Board and Dr. Keerthi Mohotti, the Director (Acting) of the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka signed for the exclusive license agreement with Dr. Kemal de Soysa, Director/CEO and Mr. M Dushyantha Peter, Consultant (New Projects) from the International Distillers Ltd. The Tech Transfer Office of the TRI facilitated the commercialization of the patent partnering with International Distillers Ltd.

Ceylon Tea Wine containing 12% alcohol (v/v) utilizes a specific Sri Lankan tea grade BOP from Dimbula tea growing region that gives unique aroma, flavor and taste to the product. TRI expects the world’s first Ceylon Tea Wine to be available for both local and international consumers within next few months of time.