Sri Lanka is to be recognized as a producer of Ozone Friendly tea and will register the Ozone Ceylon Tea logo in 30 tea importing countries from 2011 to 2012.

The launching of the new logo will take place in Colombo next month.

Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) has completed the registration of the Ozone Friendly Pure Ceylon Tea logo in Sri Lanka.

As a preliminary measure, Sri Lanka Tea Board, in consultation with tea industry stakeholders, finalized the demarcation of tea factories under each agro-climatic region. Suitable descriptive narrations for protection of Ceylon Tea and other seven regional teas were formulated thereafter.

The protection of a Geographical Indications (GI) registration for a particular product in the home country is a pre-requisite prior to applying for international registration.

SLTB is now contemplating to initiate action to apply for international registration for the said GIs in 50 target markets during 2011 and 2012 with funding support from the Industry and Commerce Ministry.

Therefore, Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) decided to protect the Ceylon Tea name as well as seven major regional tea growing areas under Geographical Indications as Certification Marks under the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organization.