Hayleys Plantations hosts Best Tea Harvester Competition

Overall Champion Anthony Iresha Rajaletchumi of Great Western Estate (TTE PLC) receives her Rs.500,000 cash prize (totalling Rs.650,000 with her estate-level win) from Hayleys Group Chairman and Chief Executive Mohan Pandithage and Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai at the Best Tea Harvester Competition awards ceremony

In a resounding tribute to the skilful hands behind every cup of Pure Ceylon Tea, Hayleys Plantations hosted the third edition of its Best Tea Harvester Competition, an event hotly anticipated by plantation communities connected to Kelani Valley Plantations PLC (KVPL), Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC (TTE) and Horana Plantations PLC (HPL). 

Hayleys Group Chairman and Chief Executive Mohan Pandithage graced this special occasion along with Hayleys PLC Executive Director Sarath Ganegoda, Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai and several other dignitaries. 

The competition transformed the Somerset Estate and Dimbula Cricket Club Grounds into a vibrant hub of festivity, where families, coworkers and local community supporters gathered to cheer on the women whose expertise drives Sri Lanka’s tea industry. Over 40 women pluckers, who won the estate level competitions, earned the opportunity to compete in the grand finale, which consisted of 15 minutes of harvesting and five minutes of sorting. 

More than a contest of speed and volume, the event showcased the precision and care essential to producing tea of unparalleled quality. Expert judges from the Tea Research Institute evaluated the harvesters on yield, finesse and quality of harvest. 

Overall champion, Anthony Iresha Rajaletchumi of Great Western Estate (TTE PLC) harvested 6.2 kilogrammes in just 15 minutes, earning her a cash prize of Rs.500,000 (in addition to a Rs.150,000 estate-level cash prize for securing the Gold award under TTE PLC). She was also awarded a flatscreen TV, sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka. The Silver award went to Dharmalingam Poomany (Mattakelle Estate), while Veeriah Vanitha (Logie Estate) took Bronze. 

N. Indrakanthy (Ingestre Estate) claimed the Gold award for KVPL, followed by Subramaniam Komathy (Battalgalla Estate) Silver and M. Mariyal (Fordyce Estate) Bronze. Meanwhile, HPL recognised Sugumaran Rajaletchumy (Bambarakelly Estate) with Gold, K. Kavitha (Alton Estate) with Silver and P. Chandraleka (Fairlawn Estate) with Bronze. 

All Gold, Silver and Bronze winners across the three companies received cash prizes and portable speakers sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka.