Myanmar tea will be exported by the end of 2015, U Htun Myaing, chairman of Myanmar Tea Producers Association told Myanmar Business Today.
“Technical assistance, such as organic planting methods, is being provided to tea farmers so that the products can match international standards,” he said.
The association claimed that foreign countries enact stricter standards, and these must be followed to match their needs. Moreover, a facility has been built to inspect and standardise tea.
The factory is located in Nam Kham of northern Shan state, and both fresh and dried leaves will be exported to Germany and the US, and the association is planning to export at the end of the year.
“There are only few areas for tea plantation because this region is occupied by various armed groups. If that issue is resolved, we can cultivate tea in more areas,” U Htun Myaing said.
The association said that there are more than 200,000 acres of tea plantations in Nam Kham and Kyauk Mae of northern Shan states and Manton, Nam Sam, Yat Saut, Pintaya, Ywar Ngan, Pinlon, Lae Char, Mai Kai in southern Shan State.
The production rate of tea is 350-500 viss per acre and local market rate is K6,500 per viss (1.6 kilograms) for fresh leaves and around K2,000-3,000 for dried leaves.
