TEA INDUSTRY
Compiled by Savithri Rodrigo
REFRESHING A FAMOUS BREW
Dr. Dan Seevaratnam urges that we move away from the commodity mentality
Q: How are climatic patterns impacting the tea industry?
A: The weather is external and uncontrollable. We witnessed twice as much rain as what is normal in the first six months of 2018 but half as much in the second half of the year.
While the incidence of rainfall is higher, the number of wet days is static. It’s not rain that impacts tea bushes and pluckers, but the accompanying wind and cold climate. Attendance falls, and so does the productivity of workers as well as tea bushes.
Q: So is Sri Lanka prepared for these eventualities?
A: Climatic impacts can be managed by changing traditional agricultural practices. High crop months no longer exist. Rain intensity prompts soil erosion with the topsoil sliding into reservoirs, which now have silt at the bottom. A proposal presented to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to de-silt reservoirs and transfer the residue to tea lands wasn’t taken seriously.
Agro practices need to adapt to changing weather patterns. The crop itself must change as some geographical areas are no longer suitable for conventional crops due to changes in the weather.
We should optimise technology by using smartphone apps to source accurate information and weather predictions. The idea is to be more proactive than reactive.
Q: In which direction is the tea industry heading?
A: Tea has to shift from being a commodity and become a unique branded product. While the Tea Research Institute hasn’t come up with any innovations, the private sector’s rhetoric is to do with marketing – i.e. packaging the same tea in a creative box. That’s not innovation.
Unlike in other tea producing countries, Ceylon Tea is unique. It’s time to differentiate our tea from being a commodity to one that reflects unique characteristics stemming from local flavours, elevation, soil and climate.
Q: Where does the workforce figure in this equation?
A: After 150 years, we ought to realise that hired labour won’t work – given the restrictive labour regulations.
The revenue sharing model is a new concept in plantation management where workers are assigned plots of land to do what they know best – i.e. pluck tea leaves. Offer them flexitime and place options.
Plantation companies continue to revolve around a low value operating model that is unsustainable. The revenue sharing model empowers workers.
For too long, unions have thrived on the adversities faced by plantation workers. This must change. The revenue sharing model is being tested in pockets, and has proved successful for both workers and management.
Q: Given the argument that tea is not sustainable, should we give up on it?
A: Having spent 50 years in the industry, it goes against the grain to even think like that.
However, the industry won’t thrive if we travel along the same path as we’re doing at present. We must change, adapt and cater to emerging trends.
Consider the success of Starbucks. That’s how we need to market our tea; not merely by putting it in boxes and exporting tea in commodity form. There’s nothing wrong with our tea but we haven’t moved with the times or infused innovation into our brews.
The younger generation doesn’t drink as much tea as it is not a product that reflects being contemporary. They want convenience – hence the tea bag.
Then there’s flavoured tea, which isn’t really tea. We must focus on the goodness of tea and transform it into a brand that works for emerging generations rather than pushing old-fashioned ideas and a commodity mentality.
Q: In your view, how can ageing tea plantations be better managed?
A: Our tea is growing older with at least 50 percent being literally over-the-hill. To sustain existing production, replanting is imperative.
But with existing wage structures, the cost of replanting would be Rs. 4 million a hectare (0.01 sq km) at a minimum with land being fallow for three to four years due to the replanting process. There would be no income in this period.
So in a depressed tea market, an ROI would be achieved in 15-20 years. Who would invest knowing that 25 years of the 53 year lease period is already over? We can extend the lifespan of tea by rejuvenating pruning and ensuring greater sustainability of the plant to prolong it for another 20 years or so.
Q: Can the tea industry become more environmentally-friendly?
A: The industry does not pollute the environment. It doesn’t even use water in the manufacturing process except to wash rollers, in which case it uses tea juices that are drained. However, it can be more responsible in terms of curbing erosion.
