Sri Lankan Tea industry

The tea industry (operating under the Ministry of Public Estate Management and Development) is one of the main foreign exchange gaining industry in Sri Lanka also became the world's leading exporter in 1995 shared 23% of the total export higher than Kenya shared 22%. The central highlands of the country, low temperature climate throughout the year, annual rainfall and the level of humidity are more favorable geographical factors for production in high quality tea. The industry was introduced to the country in 1867 by James Taylor, the British planter who arrived in 1852. Recently, Sri Lanka has become one of the countries exporting fair trade tea to the UK and other countries. It is reckoned that such projects could reduce rural poverty^.