IPS Showcases Research on Ceylon Tea’s Market Potential at International Tea Symposium
Date: 10-11 November 2025
At the International Tea Symposium (InTSym100) in Colombo, IPS highlighted strategies to strengthen Ceylon Tea’s global position through Geographical Indication (GI) registration and market-focused branding.“To fully leverage the potential of Ceylon Tea Geographical Indications (GI), we need strong institutions, robust quality assurance, clear branding, effective certification, and full traceability,” emphasised Dilani Hirimuthugodage, Research Economist at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). She made these remarks while presenting on the market potential for Ceylon Tea GI at the International Tea Symposium (InTSym100), themed “Perfect Sip: Bridging Innovation, Sustainability, and Lifestyles” held on 10 and 11 November 2025.
Her presentation, “Market Potential for Ceylon Tea Geographical Indication: An Economic and Policy Assessment,” was based on a research paper co-authored with Dr Delphine Marie-Vivien of the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), and Malithi Ama, former Project Officer, IPS.
Ms. Hirimuthugodage highlighted countries that offer future market potential for Ceylon tea export, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and India. She also explored how these markets can be strategically targeted while ensuring product quality through GI logo use. Ms. Hirimuthugodage also discussed the legal framework and feasibility of GI registration in these potential markets.
“While market potential is high, practical barriers such as trade policies and domestic priorities may limit actual export growth,” Ms. Hirimuthugodage noted, calling for data-driven strategies to monitor market performance and dynamically adjust marketing efforts.
The event brought together over a hundred international and national experts, scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders, fostering dialogue on innovation and sustainability in the tea industry.
