WORKING GROUP ON TEA

TRADE AND QUALITY

Intersessional Meeting of the Intergovernmental Group on Tea

Rome, 5-6 May 2014

Intersessional Meeting of the

FAO/IGG ON TEA

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Hasitha de Alwis

Director (Promotion) SRI LANKA TEA BOARD

WORKING GROUP ON “TEA TRADE & QUALITY”

=

WORKING GROUP

ON

“TEA TRADE & QUALITY”

CHAIR – SRI LANKA

CO – CHAIRS – KENYA, INDIA, ARGENTINA & U.K.

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Initial proposal mooted at the 15th Session in

Colombo, Sri Lanka - 2003.

Proposal ratified at the 16th Session in Bali, Indonesia.

Agenda paper submitted at the 17th Session in

Nairobi, Kenya - 2006.

Formation of Working Group proposed at the 18th

Session in Hangzhou, China - 2008.

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Sri Lanka appointed as Chairperson & India, Kenya, China as well as Indonesia selected as co- chairs in Rome , Italy - 2009. Progress reported by Sri Lanka at the 19th Session in

New Delhi , India - 2010. Road Map proposed by Sri Lanka at the Working

Group Sessions in Mombasa , Kenya -2011. Actions & Resolutions adopted at 20th Session in

Colombo, Sri Lanka Jan. 2012. Actions & Resolutions adopted at the Inter-sessional

meeting in Washington DC, USA in September 2012 where Argentina and UK was co-opted to the Committee.

Continuation of EVOLUTION

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STATUS OF ADOPTATION OR IMPLEMENTATION OF ISO 3720 MINIMUM QUALITY STANDARD

Country Status Local Body

Sri Lanka Fully Implemented ISO 3720 / SLS 135/ 1979

India Fully Implemented ISO 3720 / FSSA

Kenya Fully Implemented ISO 3720 / KS65 - 2009

Vietnam Fully Implemented ISO 3720/ Vietnamese Standard

Bangladesh Fully Implemented ISO 3720/ BDSS

Rwanda Fully Implemented ISO 3720

Argentina Fully Implemented

CAA slight variation to ISO 3720

Tanzania Implementation on-going ISO 3720/ TZS 352

Uganda Implementation on-going ISO 3720 / US 292:2002

Malawi Implementation on-going

Guided by FAO Parameters

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Country Status

Indonesia Awaiting Response

China Implementation on going

Turkey Implementation on going TS 4600/ISO 3720

Burundi Awaiting Response

Nepal Awaiting Response

Zimbabwe Awaiting Response

STATUS OF ADOPTATION OR IMPLEMENTATION OF ISO 3720 MINIMUM QUALITY STANDARD

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Introduction of a self-regulating code of conduct for continuance compliance of ISO 3720 minimum quality standard . Collation of all existing literature on additional quality benefits on tea if conforming to ISO 3720 or above. Formulation of a road-map to undertake further research on ISO 3720 compliant vis-a-vis non-compliant teas on the connectivity to quality and food safety parameters (establish a business model for higher safety levels).

A closer synergy between the Working Group on Tea Trade and Quality and ISO for a combined collation of information and data. Proposal to arrange a workshop among ISO 3720 compliant and non-compliant member countries.

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Initiate a pragmatic program to prevail upon the governments of consumer countries, tea trade and consumers of importing countries to demand tea complying with ISO 3720 parameters or above in view of better quality and safety.

Identifying donor funding/technical assistance for countries requiring support in the implementation of ISO 3720 minimum quality standard.

The Working Group recognizes the establishment of a minimum quality standard for green tea and the significant growth in the production and demand for green tea globally and therefore proposes to recommend the introduction of a self-regulating code of conduct conforming to ISO 11287 minimum quality standard for green tea manufacturing.

The Group discussed the need for defining a uniformed global sustainability standard governing the tea value chain.

Sri Lanka - Mechanism is fully active from factory gate to point of export. Argentina - Governed by Argentine Food Code (CAA) in compliance with ISO 3720 but differing in crude fibre (20% against 16.5%) and lack of definition for total polyhenols. India - Strictly monitors the quality standards for export & domestic consumption classified under FSSA. Kenya – KS2128 Code of Practice for the tea industry Malawi - Follows FAO parameters which is compatible with ISO. China - Governed by GB/T 13738.1-2008,GB/T 13738.2-2008 & GB/T 13738.3-2012 in general compliance with ISO 3720 Sri Lanka Tea Board

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Introduction of a Self-regulating Code of Conduct to Continue Compliance of ISO 3720 Minimum Quality Standard.

Sri Lanka - Research already done will be submitted to members. Argentina - Required more time to perform the collation. India - Research already done will be submitted to members. Malawi - Awaits further clarifications and guidance.

Scientific literature available with producer countries to be sent to all member nations through the chair of the working group before the next session of the FAO/ IGG on tea in Indonesia in Nov 2014.

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Collation of all existing literature on additional quality benefits on tea if conforming to ISO 3720 or above

Working group recommends that available scientific literature on the positive quality attributes of ISO 3720 standard be collated and a communication package be developed through the FAO and disseminated to all Tea consuming countries with a view to generate additional consumer awareness.

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Formulation of a Road-Map to undertake further research on ISO 3720 compliant vis-a-vis non-compliant teas on the connectivity to quality and food safety parameters (establish a business model for higher safety levels).

Working Group supports this initiative and recommends that Research institutes of Producer countries become the nodal point between the ISO and the working group for combine collation of information and the data for dissemination

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Working Group Supports the Proposal to arrange a workshop among ISO 3720 compliant & non compliant member countries on the day preceding the 21st session of the next FAO/ IGG on tea conference in November in Indonesia.

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The Working Group decided to consult the consumer country members on the way forward towards promoting awareness on the quality attributes of ISO 3720 & above

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Initiate a pragmatic program to prevail upon the governments of consumer countries, tea trade and consumers of importing countries to demand tea complying with ISO 3720 parameters or above in view of better quality and safety.

The Working group Supports this initiative and also recognized the need to identify countries who require such assistance and those who could provide technical support.

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Identifying donor funding/technical assistance for countries requiring support in the implementation of ISO 3720 minimum quality standard.

The two largest Green Tea producers and consumers namely China and Japan are of the view the total Polyphenols and Catechins ratio will differ from the ISO standards depending on the methodology of manufacture and the cultivar utilized. Further differences have been observed in the sensory evaluation procedures. Hence a degree of harmonization is recommended

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The Working Group recognizes the establishment of a minimum quality standard for green tea and the significant growth in the production and demand for green tea globally and therefore proposes to recommend the introduction of a self-regulating code of conduct conforming to ISO 11287/2011 minimum quality standard for green tea manufacturing.

The Working Group feels that beyond ISO 3720 minimum quality standard, there is a necessity for on going efforts to identify other quality parameters for Black Tea such as moisture, yeast & mold, coliform etc. & an attempt to reach a consensus / convergence among producer / consumer countries on this issue.

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The Group discussed the need for defining a uniform global sustainability standard governing the tea value chain.

The Group suggested to add a “Promotion” element as tea education, promotional events and even Tea competition are getting more and more popular and are incorporated in communication strategies to educate and promote tea. The first tasks would be to: • Gather information from producing and consuming countries regarding

their programs on education and promotional events. • Discuss the results at the next meeting in Indonesia and determine if

there are synergies to harmonize some programs or events from an International perspective.

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Thank You.

Hasitha de Alwis Director (Promotion)

SRI LANKA TEA BOARD E-mail: promotion@pureceylontea.com

Web : www.pureceylontea.com

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