Tea promo campaign likely to kick off soon

The long-delayed tea export promotion campaign is expected to be kicked off before the end of 2018 in multiple destinations.

Over the years, tea exporters have built a promotional fund in excess of Rs.4.5 billion through export cess and promotion and marketing levy on tea exports imposed by the government for the purpose of promoting the Ceylon Tea band globally.

But the campaign was delayed due to indecision by successive policy makers and bureaucrats who could not plan and roll out an effective campaign.

According to HVA Foods PLC Chairman Rohan Fernando the campaign is to be unveiled before the end of this year.

“We also await the unveiling of the global campaign to promote Ceylon Tea, which is due to be launched before the year-end in several countries including Russia, Japan, Turkey, China and USA”, Fernando said.

Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake recently told the 19th Tea Exporters’ Association’s Annual General Meeting that the promotional campaign would put more emphasis on digital channels in promoting the Ceylon Tea brand. However, the industry stakeholders are skeptical about the promotional campaign being rolled out this soon as government tender procedures tend to consume a lot of time.

Dissanayake also said an additional Rs.500 million had been allocated for individual brand promotion campaigns, where Sri Lanka Tea Board will fund 50 percent of the cost of such campaigns.

He further pledged that the promotion and marketing levy on tea exports would be slashed by 50 percent from next year in response to the calls from the industry.

Ceylon Tea celebrated the 150th anniversary last year. The tea industry has been calling for a global promotional campaign in a bid to re-enforce Ceylon Tea brand in traditional markets and introduce the brand into new markets.

Ceylon Tea’s market share has declined to 6 percent from 20 percent during the last 50 years despite worldwide growth in tea drinking.