Sri Lanka asserts following EU standards in tea exports
Sri Lanka stands ready to assure Russian authorities that it has adhered to plant quarantine regulations of that country in exporting tea, top government officials said.
The national plant quarantine service is used to randomly check agriculture product consignments for export, Plantations Ministry Secretary, J. A. Ranjith told the Business Times.
Sri Lanka follows the European Union standards when exporting tea to those countries including Russia.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka Tea board Chairman Rohan Pethiyagoda said he was leading a technical delegation to Russia next week for discussions with authorities on the ban on Sri Lankan tea with effect from December 18.
While stating that there were no immediate developments after the suspension of all Sri Lankan agriculture products after a beetle was found in one tea consignment, he was optimistic that Russian authorities would lift the temporary restriction imposed on Sri Lanka tea exports after January 12 since officials there are enjoying Christmas holidays next week.
The suspension of Sri Lankan tea didn’t have much of an impact on prices at the Colombo auction this week since much of the buying for the Russian market has already taken place owing to the Christmas holidays. The auction resumes on January 2 with a break next week for Christmas.
Mr. Ranjith said the eight or nine member Sri Lankan technical delegation includes an expert attached to national quarantine service.
He noted that this matter has been brought to the notice of Rosselkhoznadzor ( Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) and Sri Lankan authorities would work with Russian counterparts to resolve the issue soon.
Sri Lanka is also ready to follow any further quarantine regulations imposed on the island nation’s exports including tea by Russia, he said, adding that the technical delegation will inspect 83 containers held by Russian Customs.
They will begin their work on December 27 after the Christmas holidays in Russia, he disclosed.
An official reply has been sent in response to the notification issued by Russia, he said adding that President Maithripala Sirisena has sent a personal letter to the Russian president requesting him to re-consider the decision.
He said that he cannot comment on the lifting of the asbestos import ban from Russia and its connection with tea export ban.
A delegation led by the Minister of Science and Te chnolo g y Susil Premajayantha will be leaving for Russia in early January to discuss the situation pertaining to the asbestos imported from Russia, a top official of the Finance Ministry said without giving details of the visit.
He said that there won't be any economic impact on Sri Lanka if this Russian ban is settled without delay.
But it will exert a great impact if this matter is allowed to drag on; he said adding that Russia was the second largest buyer of Sri Lanka’s Ceylon tea after Iran.
(Bandula)