UTV | COLOMBO – The Sri Lanka Tea Research Institute says the insect found in a consignment of imported tea to Russia is not an indigenous bug.
Chairman of the Institute MMJP Gawarammana said the Khapra beetle is only found in European countries.
Gawarammana stated the Khapra beetle is not found in Sri Lanka adding Sri Lankans inspectors are questioning how a beetle that is not witnessed in the island was found in the tea containers.
Chairman Gawarammana added information revealed suggest the bug was not found in the packaging but in the container.
The temporary restriction on imports of all agricultural products from Sri Lanka, including tea, imposed by a Russian agricultural safety watchdog came into effect yesterday.
Reuters reported the watchdog said it had taken the decision to impose restrictions after it found an insect in the packaging of one consignment of tea from Sri Lanka.
Minister of Plantation Industries Navin Dissanayake yesterday said a special team of technical experts will be sent to Russia in an effort to lift the temporary ban imposed on Sri Lankan agricultural imports.
