"Due to the premium price received regularly for Ceylon tea, overseas packers frequently misuse the name by packaging other origin teas as Ceylon tea," the Sri Lanka Tea Board said in a statement.

It decided to protect the Ceylon tea name and seven major regional tea growing area names as certification marks under the GI of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) within the World Trade Organisation regime.

"This important initiative would help prevent counterfeiting and misuse of the term 'Ceylon tea' and other regional names of tea growing areas."

Hasitha De Alwis, Tea Board director of promotion, said Sri Lanka is the only country qualified to use the 'ozone friendly' logo for tea after it gave up using Methyl Bromide, an ozone depleting substance in tea production.

The ozone friendly tea label along with the names and logos of seven tea growing regions under Geographical Indicators would help to protect and add value to Ceylon tea, he told the official launch ceremony Wednesday.

The new GI logos will denote seven specific agro-climatic regions where tea is grown; Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Uva, Udapussella, Kandy, Ruhuna and Sabaragamuwa in the central hills and southern region.

"Exporters are encouraged to market Ceylon tea as a premium product at premium prices," he said. "This will help small holders benefit by higher green leaf prices."
To use the ozone friendly logo on their packs, exporters must apply to the Tea Board.
The Tea Board intends to apply for international recognition for the logos this year and initially register them in 30 tea markets, De Alwis said.

The logos and certification marks have been registered in Sri Lanka, a prerequisite for international recognition.