Tea board invests in analytical lab

Colombo: The Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) is to open an analytical laboratory worth Rs.70 million to conduct experiments needed for the development of the industry in the country.


“The building has already been constructed and the SLTB hopes to open it before the end of this year” SLTB Director General H.D. Hemarathne told the Daily Financial Times.


As there is only a chemical section in the current tea laboratory, the Tea Board plans to introduce two new sections - the Micro Biological section and the Pesticides section. The new building is within the Tea Board’s premises and although the only employees at present are the Officer-in-charge and four chemical officers, the Board intends to provide more employment opportunities once the building is opened.


The analysis of pesticide residue will help prevent the illegal sprinkling of Methyl Salselate, a process used by some tea leaf manufacturers who bring a distraught image to Sri Lankan tea while the Micro Biological section will assist tea producers conduct tests for bacteria and other microbes.“The Sri Lankan tea industry should overcome many challenges to increase the popularity of its good name” said Industrial Development Minister Kumara Welgama at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry and the Tea Board on behalf of the obtaining of Pesticide Residue Analysis. Through this MoU the Ministry and the Tea Board intends to remove the bottleneck faced by several tea exporters.


The Tea Board also expects to use new machines and advanced technology to develop the tea industry and they have already purchased machines worth Rs.25 million for the Micro Biological sector. Mr. Hemarathne said that an estimated value of Rs.25 million would be invested to purchase the advanced equipment needed for the Pesticides division as well.


The SLTB has not received any loans from any foreign country or international organization and intends to use a grant (of Rs.18 million) given by the Minister of Industrial Development Kumara Welgama.


Simultaneously the Tea Board will allocate one third of its funds to renovate the tea factories under the Private and Divisional Estate Unit and also plans to replant the estates in the upcountry areas for which funds have been already been allocated.