Sri Lankan Tea Exporters Join Dedicated Pavilion In Jeddah

(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette) Six Sri Lankan tea companies participated in a dedicated Ceylon Tea Pavilion at the Saudi Food Show in Jeddah from 27 to 29 September, according to Sri Lanka's embassy in Riyadh.

The exhibition took place at the Jeddah Superdome. Ambassador Ameer Ajwad opened the pavilion with Consul General Mohamed Laffar and representatives of participating exporters.

The embassy organised the pavilion with the Sri Lanka Tea Board and Department of Commerce to promote Ceylon tea and connect exporters with the Saudi market.

The six pavilion participants were Imperial Tea Exports, Meezan & Company, Ceylon Tea Marketing Group, Ceylon Tea Land, Heladiv Tea and Martin Bauer Hayleys.

Five other Sri Lankan businesses participated independently: Empire Teas, Eswaran Brothers Exports, Anverally & Sons, Uniworld Teas and A.F. Jones Exporters Ceylon.

Addressing participants, Ajwad encouraged exporters to meet Saudi buyers, importers, distributors and retailers, understand market requirements and develop longer-term commercial relationships.

The ambassador linked the exhibition to opportunities for a wider range of Sri Lankan food and beverage products, alongside tea.

The embassy describes the display as the first dedicated Ceylon Tea Pavilion at the Saudi Food Show. It brought the participating companies together while other exporters maintained separate exhibition arrangements.

Ajwad also referred to growth in bilateral trade, reporting a 15 per cent increase in Sri Lankan exports to Saudi Arabia compared with 2024. He identified packet and bulk tea as major contributors and cited approximately US$67 million in tea exports during the year.

According to the embassy, the Saudi Food Show and Saudi Food Manufacturing events together attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors from over 95 countries.

The embassy's first secretary for commerce, Tashma Vithanawasam, coordinated Sri Lankan participation. The programme focused on presenting products, developing buyer contacts and expanding commercial engagement in Saudi Arabia through a shared national tea pavilion.

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