Tea experts in dispute

Press, 5 June 1982, Page 12

Tea experts in dispute

The average packet of tea packaged in New Zealand is made up of a- mixture of leaves imported from China, Indonesia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, said the general manager of Trade Aid (New Zealand). Mr Peter Elvy. Mr Elvy was replying to a statement by the managing director of Quality Packers, Ltd, in Auckland, Mr A. Moore. Mr Moore had said that it was untrue that blending of tea was aimed at reducing either the quality or the price. The purpose of blending was to achieve consitency and maintain a uniform level of quality, Mr Moore had said. Mr Elvy said that because the tea was imported from various countries it varied in price from $1.84 a kilogram to $2.22 a kilogram c.i.f. It must be assumed that lower quality teas were being mixed with medium-high quality tea and sold on the New Zealand market.

But when Mr Elvy's re-

marks were referred to Mr Moore he said that Mr Elvy was wrong to make those assumptions. Mr Moore said that in general terms it was bad practice to pack tea in tropical countries into retail-sized packets because the longer the tea was left in loose form the quicker it deteriorated. That was why the tea importers had over a number of years developed the specialised “tea chest” with its aluminium-foil lining to ensure the loose tea did not deteriorate.

Although tea packaged in New Zealand also deteriorated over a period, he would expect the major brands to have a retail turnover every

three weeks, said Mr Moore.

Mr Elvy also said the Trade Aid’s involvement in the importation of tea had always revolved round the quality of tea and the plight of those involved in the tea industry in Sri Lanka. “While acknowledging that some support may have been provided in the past to the plantation and tea workers through the established trade, the situation for the Tamil tea workers remains as oppressive as ever,” said Mr Elyy. Mr Moore said that workers on the tea estates in Sri Lanka were relatively better off than the people living in the coastal .areas and the urban unemployed.