Asia Tea Alliance unites for sustainable tea future at 2024 Summit

Sri Lankan delegation highlights pioneering sustainability interventions

The Asia Tea Alliance (ATA) meeting and Asia International Tea Summit 2024 brought together industry leaders, apex associations, and Tea Boards from Asia’s major tea-producing nations, convened by Solidaridad Asia and the Indian Tea Association to champion a sustainable and equitable tea industry. 

The Sri Lankan delegation included Tharagani Wickremasinghe, Additional Secretary (Policy and Operations) at the Ministry of Plantation Industries, Dr. Roshan Rajadurai, Managing Director of Hayleys PLC,  Sujanthi Mayadunne, Director General (Policy), Saman Rathnayaka, Deputy General Manager of the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority, Dave Maurice, Director of the Nucleus Foundation, and Consultant Yajith De Silva.

TA’s vision for a sustainable, economically viable tea sector was central to the discussions, emphasising enhanced living and working conditions for tea workers, fair returns for producers, and a consistent supply of high-quality tea for global consumers. 

The ATA meeting welcomed the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority (TSHDA) as new members, joining the Planters’ Association of Ceylon, a founding member, in reinforcing Sri Lanka’s role in the alliance.

The event marked strategic decisions, including Africa’s emergence as a new tea market, a shared stance against genetically modified tea, and a commitment to regenerative agriculture to combat climate change, adhere to green legislations, and sequester carbon. Chief Guest Franco Costantini, CEO of regenagri, the world’s largest regenerative agriculture certification standard, reinforced the industry’s shared vision for sustainable tea production.

The summit that followed featured discussions on key challenges and innovations in tea production. Wickremasinghe chaired Technical Session II, exploring the hurdles and opportunities for small tea growers across Asia. Mayadunne presented Golden Tip into Golden Currency: Establishing Quality Benchmarks for Sri Lankan Tea, highlighting Sri Lanka’s commitment to maintaining high tea standards. Rathnayake shared insights on the pivotal role of the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority in supporting smallholders.

Sri Lanka earned special recognition for two groundbreaking achievements: Halgolla Estate of Hayleys Plantations became the world’s first tea plantation to obtain regenerative agriculture certification, while Lumbini Tea Factory attained the first group regenerative agriculture certification for its tea smallholder growers. Regenerative agriculture, which improves soil health, boosts biodiversity, and ensures long-term sustainability, featured prominently as a model for responsible farming.

The summit provided a forum for ATA members to exchange insights, address regional challenges, and collaborate on shared objectives as outlined in ATA’s manifesto. Representatives from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, and China joined industry specialists and scientists to discuss carbon trading, fair pricing, and technology-driven quality enhancements, furthering ATA’s unified path toward a resilient tea sector.