Japan likely to restrict Sri Lankan tea imports

COLOMBO (News 1st) - News of a possible cap on Japanese imports of tea from Sri Lanka has surfaced recently, with the use of MCPA Chemical above Japan's stipulated limit. With the ban imposed on glyphosate locally, large-scale farmers now resort to using the chemical MCPA to destroy weeds in the tea industry. Japan has placed strong regulations against food that contain this chemical. Exporters state that as of now, a number of shipments sent to Japan have already been rejected and returned citing the overuse of this chemical. The Sri Lanka Tea Board has elaborated that any ban potentially placed on Sri Lanka by Japan could affect the European market too. Speaking on the matter, Minister of Plantation Industries Navin Dissanayake said the issue has arisen due to the banning of Glyphosate and that Japan is highly concerned about the chemical MCPA. (Watch video)