Russia to discuss restricted tea imports with Sri Lanka in December
(Photo by Rashid on Unsplash)
Russia’s agriculture safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor plans to discuss restricted tea imports with Sri Lanka at the end of December, it said in a statement on Tuesday.
Russia placed temporary restrictions on imports of tea and all other agricultural products from Sri Lanka from Dec. 18 after a beetle was found in a tea consignment.
The watchdog met a delegation led by Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Russia in Moscow on Tuesday and requested information about steps being taken in Sri Lanka to secure the safety of tea intended for export to Russia.
The insect, known as the Khapra beetle, was discovered in the packaging of the consignment of tea from Sri Lanka, which has said it was an isolated case and that it would work with the Russian authorities to resolve the issue.
Russia was the second largest buyer of Sri Lanka’s Ceylon tea after Iran in 2016 with $143 million worth of purchases, according to Sri Lanka’s Industry Ministry.
Sri Lankan tea accounts for 23 percent of the Russian market, with other supplies coming from India, Kenya, China and Vietnam, according to Rusteacoffee association.
(Reuters)
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Tea trade with Russia GONE WITH THE WIND, my fellow citizens.
Two things to note.
The Kenyan Govt which is the No 2 supplier to Russia have already dispatched their Cabinet Secretary (=Minister) to Russia to explore how Kenya’s tea exports can be enhanced. He is reported to have had extremely successful negotiations with the Russians.
The second thing is our Lilly White Gamrala and his mate, the Maharaja, quietly banned imports of ceiling asbestos sheets from Russia because the Lilly White’s mate, the Maharaja, is the sole producer of plastic ceiling sheets at enormous environmental costs. Russia is not happy with this ban, my dear fellows.
Now Asbestos became OK! Asbestos ban lifted. Tea will be accepted after the envisaged meeting with Russia.