Study Buddy

The Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has asked Sri Lanka to join India or Kenya, if it plans to study the unique variances between tea growing elevations. Sri Lanka called on the FAO to fund the research project at the Inter-Governmental Group (IGG) meeting on tea earlier this year. Tea industry officials say FAO has tied the approval of US$ 250,000 in funding to Sri Lanka, to include one other tea growing nation, to carry out the study. Source say Indias elevation structures similarity with the local estates will make them Sri Lankas ideal study partner. The project will study the effect of agro-climatic differences on different blends of Ceylon tea, supporting on-going efforts to value add the industry. Officials say further studies could help the industry boost the reputation of tea and give an additional marketing tool for promoting the brew. Sri Lankas Tea Research Institute has already carried out some ground breaking studies, identifying initial traces of variances in tea grown in different elevations. Shafraz Farook: shafrazf@vanguardlanka.comrn