‘Women’s vital contribution to tea sector going unrecognized’

By Steve A. Morel

Center for Women’s Research, CENWOR, Colombo, conducted workshops recently highlighting importance of women entrepreneurs to the economy of the country. Also, that they were not effectively recognized for this contribution.

Representing the Tea Factory Owners Association Dhammika Mahipala  said tea smallholders, who number around 400, 000, and own small holdings, one or two hectares each in extent, produce  75 percent of the tea in the country. Yields per hectare are now at a record high of 1952 kilos. He added it would not be long before such yields exceed 3000 kilos per hectare.

Such crop achievements were possible because  smallholder lands  are predominantly  worked by women. Their crop is eventually processed by the tea factory owners and sold at the auctions at premium prices. As already known, prices realized last year were the highest on record.  Apart from kudos lavished on the factories,  production of tea crop, or tea  leaf, was possible mainly because of the women who work their lands. Such lands are not owned by them, but their husbands; who with least effort are the main beneficiaries of production of these tea lands. Mahipala said women who are the main producers of tea are invariably rendered insignificant in the production chain.

Women  are mainly responsible   for contributing over 1.5 billion dollars to the  economy. This made the tea industry viable although the Covid debacle literally throttled  most other industries. The tea industry was instrumental in ensuring exports  continued without interruption and  the economy was kept viable. All  because of women who were directly responsible for production; both in the corporate sector and the tea smallholder sector.

Director,  CENWOR, Dr. Kala Peiris  said the smallholder sector continued such production with women not being paid for the work they do.  They are not recipients of all statutory dues.  They do not get EPF, ETF, and allied pension benefits, no child care benefits, and connected  pluses that give them allied dignity.  She agreed the formalized tea sector workers are paid, with attendant benefits of water sanitation, housing,  and  all statutory dues.

However,  her strong advocacy for recognition, both domestically and socially should be of immediate importance,  resulting in women  being positively recognized for their contribution to the economy, and not relegated to the position of non persons.

The CENEWOR  discussion was  parallel to the contribution of the FAO, which also played a catalyst role  to ensure women are recognized in the future. Tina Jayaratnam, representing the FAO at the head table said, the multi-faceted contribution of women should be recognised.

Director, CENWOR, Dr. Wijeye Jayatilleka and Dr. K.C.B. Puspalatha also spoke.