Tea industry of Sri Lanka

The tea industry is one of the main foreign exchange gaining industry in Sri Lanka also became the world's leading exporter in 1995 shared 23% of the total export higher than Kenya shared 22%. The central highlands of the country, low temperature climate through out the year, annual rainfall and the level of humidity are more favorable geographical factors for production in high quality tea. The industry was introduced to the country in 1867 by James Taylor, the British planter who arrived in 1852.cite web|url=http://www.american.edu/ted/ceylon-tea.htm|title=TED Case Studies - Ceylon Tea|publisher=American University, Washington, DC] [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1796478.stm|title=Sri Lanka tops tea sales|publisher=BBC|date=01 February, 2002] cite web|url=http://www.teausa.com/general/teatour.cfm%20|title=Sri Lanka Tea Tour|publisher=The Tea Association of the USA|date=August 11-17, 2003] cite web|url=http://www.unescap.org/drpad/publication/integra/volume3/srilanka/3sr01a.htm|title=ROLE OF TEA IN DEVELOPMENT IN SRI LANKA|publisher=United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific] cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/311663.stm|title=South Asia Help for Sri Lanka's tea industry|publisher=BBC News|date=April 04, 1999] cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2779267.stm|title=Sri Lanka moves to protect tea industry|publisher=BBC News|date=19 February, 2003] cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/content/articles/2005/09/12/jenny_august.shtml|title=Just 64p a day for tea pickers in Sri Lanka|publisher=BBC News|date=20 September 2005]

History

James Taylor started the plantation of tea in Loolecondera estate Kandy in 1867. He began the tea plantation an estate of just 19 acres and also in 1872 he started a fully equipped tea factory in the same Loolecondera estate.

In year 1875 first shipment of Ceylon tea arrived in London tea auction. Also one million tea packets were sold in Chicago World Fair in 1893.

In year 1971 the government of Sri Lanka nationalised the tea estates owned by the British companies. cite web|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/features/20011016Ceylon_Tea_Industry.htm|title=The rise of the Ceylon Tea Industry James Taylor and the Loolecondera Estate|publisher=Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka]

Tea growing areas

* Central Province - Kandy, Nuwara-eliya.
* Southern Province - Galle, Matara and Mulkirigala.
* Sabaragamuwa Province - Ratnapuraya, Kegalle.

ee also

*Ceylon tea
*James Taylor (Ceylon)
*Loolecondera
*Thomas Lipton

References

External links

* [http://www.teamuse.com/article_000903.html Taylor, Lipton and the Birth of Ceylon Tea]
* [http://www.liptonforthefuture.com Lipton official website]
* [http://www.cepa.lk/estates Documentary on the tea and rubber plantations of Sri Lanka: To Escape or Maximise? The estate workers' dilemma, Center for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), 2008]