Reports

Discussion Papers

No.642 Effects of Standards on Tea Exports from Developing Countries: Comparison of China and Sri Lanka

by Lei LEI

April 2017

ABSTRACT

Food safety standards have become stricter and are currently major barriers in the international agri-food trade. These standards negatively affect developing countries exports to markets in developed countries. We use tea exports from two major tea exporting developing countries, China and Sri Lanka, as an example to discuss the effects of standards on their tea supply chains. China and Sri Lanka share some similar characteristics in tea production and exports. First, we conduct a general comparison between the two countries' tea exports based on port rejection data from UNIDO, and then we provide a detailed supply chain analysis. Finally, we summarize our work and discuss the policy implications.

Keywords: Standards, Tea, Exports, Supply Chain
JEL classification: O10, Q13, Q17

Please note that discussion papers are works in various stages of progress and most have not been edited and proofread and may contain errors of fact or judgment. Revised versions of these papers may subsequently appear in more formal publication series. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s). The IDE does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included and accepts no responsibility for any consequences arising from its use.