Tea industry hit hard; damaged machinery will take months to function again

Specialised machines need to be sent abroad for restoration: Tea Traders Association Chairman

• There are 30 companies that export tea, bringing a value about Rs. 110 billion a year in exports, and it may take two or three weeks to get functioning again, during that time the tea industry will be facing losses however damaged machinery will take months to restore as Sri Lanka does not have the technology to restore these machines

By Huzefa Aliasger and Pranavesh Sivakumar

In the wake of the natural disaster that took place in Sri Lanka last week, the tea industry was hit hard and may take months to recover to normal as machinery that has been destroyed has to be sent abroad to repair and damage to roads may affect the distribution of tea exports, according to an official from the Colombo Tea Traders Association.  

Lushantha De Silva, Chairman of the Colombo Tea Traders Association told the Daily Mirror that ‘There are 30 companies that export tea, bringing a value about Rs. 110 billion a year in exports, and it may take two or three weeks to get functioning again, during that time the tea industry will be facing losses, however damaged machinery will take months to restore as Sri Lanka does not have the technology to restore these machines, therefore we have to send them abroad.’  The Chairman said that some machines that produce tea bags are damaged, and after a full inspection, the total damage will be assessed. ‘Government will need to support the industry to get it back on its feet.’ He added. According to Lushantha, plant and land damage are yet to be assessed as well due to some areas still being inactive; however, it will not affect production heavily, and it should be back to normal in a week. Samantha Dodangoda, a tea estate owner, says that ‘production won’t slow down, but the challenge is that the tea pluckers will not go to pluck these days, and after seeing all these video clips, they will get scared to go to those hills until it is safe.’

Samantha also said that the main issue is rebuilding in the sense that the road infrastructure is the biggest issue that the government will face. ‘Transportation will definitely be tough, and it will take some time, but they will find routes to come for sure because you know you can’t keep those roads closed forever.’