Ceciliyan Tea Factory records massive 3.8mn kg sales in 2023

Ceciliyan Tea Factory, Kalawana, in the Ratnapura district, has recorded the highest sale of over 3.8 million kilogrammes in the year 2023, at the Colombo Tea Auction. 
Managed by Ceciliyan Associates (Pvt.) Limited and  located in a picturesque mountainous area bordering the Sinharaja rain forest, the tea factory is a leading producer of Orthodox and CTC black tea. 
With an annual average production exceeding three million kilogrammes for over a decade and the contribution of 1.5 percent of total national production in 2023, it is a remarkable achievement for a privately owned single tea factory.  

Ceciliyan was established in 1930 as one of the oldest tea factories producing Orthodox tea and manufacturing CTC was introduced in 1993. With the increased capacity, more smallholders were able to join with Ceciliyan, making the number of the current registered smallholders and green leaf suppliers nearing 10,500. Having equipped with state-of-the-art machinery together with good manufacturing practices and adhering to the ISO 22000;2018 and ISO 14001:2015 standards, Ceciliyan produces one of the best quality teas in the Low Grown sector. Ceciliyan Tea Factory is a trusted establishment amongst all its stakeholders, suppliers and employees for its continued service and stability while maintaining a high net sales average, which benefits the smallholders. 

The tea factory continues its excellence winning many awards and achieving accolades, the most recent award being the Bronze category – large scale, at National Industry Excellence Awards 2023. 
Commenting on the success, Director/CEO Mindika Walgamage said, “I should gratefully appreciate the dedication of our hardworking employees and all stakeholders, mainly leaf suppliers and tea brokers John Keells, Mercantile and Forbes and Walkers, along with the vision of Paani Dias, who helped us achieving this feat.” 
The present management is determined to contribute to the national economy by producing high-quality black tea, following the traditions passed down for generations.