UTV | COLOMBO – A Russian agricultural safety watchdog says Russia will place temporary restrictions on imports of all agricultural products from Sri Lanka, including tea, from Monday.
Reuters reported the watchdog said it had taken the decision to impose restrictions after it found an insect, known as the Khapra beetle, in the packaging of one consignment of tea from Sri Lanka.
The Head of the Rusteacoffee Association stated tea from Sri Lanka accounts for 23 percent of Russia’s tea market.
He added members of Rusteacoffee will ask the Russian agricultural safety watchdog to resume tea imports from Sri Lanka but with tougher controls.
According to customs data Russia has imported 141,300 tons of tea worth $436 million in the first 10 months of 2017.
When inquired by UTV News, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Board Rohan Pethiyagoda said the Minister of Plantation Industries had been informed of the issue.