L O C A LTUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2015

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: The Embassy of Sri Lanka inKuwait hosted a gathering of businessmenand media representatives to introduce SriLanka’s growing $1.6 billion tea businesscontributing 15 percent to the nation’s for-eign exchange. Kuwait imported around12.3 million kilograms of tea in 2014 and16.1 million kilograms in 2013.

The ‘tea talk’ was presented by HasithaDe Alwis, Director Promotion from Sri

Lanka Tea Board Middle East and Africa. SriLankan Ambassador to Kuwait KandeepanBala welcomed guests and lauded KuwaitSri-Lanka’s bilateral relations in all areasfrom economy to politics and tourism.

The head of tea promotion, who is basedin Dubai, said the world witnessed the neverseen unity of Sri Lankan Republic as the coun-try now is united after 30 long years of con-flict, reaping the fruit of peace and tranquilityin the form of economic growth, tourism andtrust of people from all over the world. “Multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious and mul-ti-linguistic nation once again in harmonyafter the war and because of that, there hasbeen immense opportunities for sustainablegrowth in all sectors and of course the teaindustry is no exception,” he added.

Annual revenueTea earns Sri Lanka $1.65 billion in annu-

al revenue. “Thanks to the tea industrywherein the country is known for especiallyin the production and export of black tea.The tea we produce is globally recognizedand the Ceylon Tea name itself is synony-mous with superior quality. We want every-one to know that our tea is produced withlots of attention as we continue to invadethe world market in this sector,” he men-tioned. Colombo is known the largest sin-gle original tea auction center in the world,disposing 99percent of all sales, and thechampion in sustainable auction prices.

Explaining the huge disparity ofKuwait’s tea import in the year 2013 and2014, “Basically it was because some of thetea brought here (2013) were re-exportedby Kuwait to Iraq since they are affected bythe crisis. So Kuwait served as a gateway tosending tea products to other countries inthe Middle East affected by the crisis,” De-Alwis explained.

150 years“Sri Lanka’s tea industry will celebrate

150 years of commercial history in 2017.We will arrange about six months of cele-brations with this regard and we want youall to visit and experience the hospitality ofthe Sri Lankan people. The tea industrycontinues to occupy a pivotal position interms of foreign exchange earnings andemployment. The foreign currency earn-ings from tea covered the entire foodimport bill of Sri Lanka in 2013 as well as2014,” he said.

The tea industry employed directly andindirectly 10 percent of the population ofSri Lanka, with around 2 million peopledirectly or indirectly dependent on theindustry.

To look for authentic ‘Ceylon Tea Brands’De Alwis said people should only see thelion seal logo with 100 percent Ceylon Tealabel (above a minimum reference stan-dard) as they are registered in 102 coun-tries as a trade mark.

ROME: Kuwaiti photographer AliAl-Zaidi has won two prizes in theItalian Siena InternationalPhotography Awards (SIPAContest). Up to 2,500 photogra-phers from 100 countries took parton the contest. The internationalcontest, held as part of an art festi-val in Italy’s historical city of Siena,announced that Al-Zaidi won thebronze medal in one category andthe jurors’ award in photographingpeople’s lives.

The leading global 18 jurorsvoiced their admiration of Al-Zaidi’s photos, 10 of which werechosen to be displayed in the SIPAContest gallery network, entitled“Behind the camera,” that are opentill end of November. Al-Zaidi isknown for his many travels aroundthe world.

He expressed pride of theawards which “raise high the nameof Kuwait in the wide-scale com-petition,” one of the largest world-wide. He dedicated the victory toHis Highness the Amir SheikhSabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabahand His Highness the Crown PrinceSheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-JaberAl-Sabah. The leading photogra-pher, who won more than 40 inter-national awards, stressed thatKuwait is rich with talented andgifted youth in all fields. — KUNA

Kuwait consumes 12.3 million kilograms of tea from Sri Lanka

‘$1.65 billion tea business thriving’

KUWAIT: Sri Lankan Ambassador to Kuwait Kandeepan Bala (first from left), businessmen and media representatives attend thegathering yesterday. — Photos by Ben Garcia

Hasitha De Alwis speaks at the gathering.

Kuwaiti photographer wins two awards in Italy’s SIPA Contest