Around 25 percent of the tea consumed in Saudi Arabia is from Sri Lanka, Ambassador Azmi Thassim told a packed audience at the Global Ceylon Tea Party organized by his embassy in Riyadh recently.
The party was attended by tea importers, Saudi businessmen, journalists and Sri Lankan Airlines Central Province Manager Sathira Ariyaratne.
Thassim said: “The tea market in Saudi Arabia is considered the most sophisticated within all Gulf countries due to the high purchasing power of consumers who demand innovative products and gourmet packaging… annual tea imports are registered at 37 million kg, mostly for domestic consumption.”
The envoy pointed out that throughout 2017, the Colombo Tea Traders Association and Sri Lanka Tea Board are celebrating this historic occasion with several events all around the world.
Ceylon Tea is reputed as the “cleanest tea in the world” in respect to pesticide residues due to these stringent controls.
Ceylon Tea has unique characteristics and is known for superior flavor for its high grown teas and exquisite leaf appearance for low grown teas, much favored in the Middle East.

Source: Arab News