IDENTIFICATION OF EXTENSION NEEDS IN TEA PROCESSING: CASE OF LOW COUNTRY TEA FACTORIES

Abstract

Sri Lankan tea industry plays a major role in the Sri Lankan economy being one of the important sectors as a foreign exchange earner (SLRs. 240.6 billion in 2019) while providing employment opportunities for 400,000 families. Even though research and extension efforts were launched in the past, the average national production of made tea remains at 2100 kg/ha/year. This is much below the potential yield of 3000 kg/ha/year. The tea processors convert green tea leaves to made tea through a complex process including withering, rolling, fermentation, drying, cleaning and sifting into different made tea grades intending high end market. They are significantly responsible for quality tea production because the World market prices are directly associated with tea quality. This study aims to identify the extension needs in the context of the tea processing sub-sector. The study selected 55 tea processors in Matara district, Sri Lanka and the field survey was conducted during January- June 2019. A questionnaire was used as the data gathering tool and further, check-lists and informal discussions were also incorporated. The study identified nine issues encountered by the tea processors. Among them, four constraints, namely poor green leaf standards (57.7%), declining labour productivity (51.90%), limited technical knowl edge on processing (19.2%) and unawareness to obtain extension services (13.2%) are extension issues. Therefore, extension agencies should implement programmes to remedy such conditions. The investigation reveals that tea manufacturing and marketing (42.59%), tea planting and leaf plucking (29.63%) and mechanization and certification (14.81%) are the most required training needs. Hence, extension service providers have to focus on training programmes to improve the knowledge and skills in the above fields. The tea processors use the telephone for verbal communication (82.7%), internet (53.8%), SMS (50%) and mobile apps (26.9%) to obtain extension input. The processors made suggestions to strengthen the tea industry improving access to the potential markets (45.61%), provide more subsidies (17.5%), introduce new tea cultivars (14.04%), provide awareness and training through proper extension and advisory services (12.28%) and improve existing infrastructure facilities (10.53%)