Sri Lanka plans to formally apply for Geographical Indication (GI) for Ceylon Tea from the European Union (EU) this September, with intentions to replicate the same move in other key markets of Ceylon Tea subsequently.
“We will submit an application for GI to the EU, seeking GI for Ceylon Tea this September. There will be grace period given to Ceylon Tea imports to adjust, once we secure a GI for Ceylon Tea in the EU,” Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) Chairman Niraj De Mel told Mirror Business.
GI certification serves to uphold and authenticate the quality, reputation and characteristics of a product by linking it to a specific territory through intellectual property protection, while also giving it added value in national and international markets.
The Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board, SLTB and Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka, with the technical cooperation of the International Atomic Energy Agency, initially commenced an initial research and development activities to GIs for Ceylon Tea and regional teas, using stable isotope signatures along with the preparation of a database of black tea…
