The Koslanda Organic Tea Gardens are located in the cool, misty mountains of Sri Lanka's Uva District. This estate, home to 596 workers and their families, has been producing "the green gold of the mountains" since the mid-twentieth century and began selling to the Fair Trade market in 1998.
Koslanda transitioned to 100% organic and biodynamic production in 1992. The estate promotes the recycling of resources through the use of cover crops, inter-cropping, and animal and plant waste recycling. Koslanda not only implements environmentally sustainable methods of production, but also encourages bio-diversity by re-introducing indigenous flora and planting a variety of native products such as spices, coffee, and nuts.
The Koslanda Tea Estate is also committed to building a clean and healthy community for its workers. The plantation has provided transportation to the hospital, new latrines, re-roofing, and scholarships for higher education. With the premium received from Fair Trade tea sales, Koslanda has continued its community development goals. Koslanda's revenue from Fair Trade sales has been used for:
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Tel (510) 663-5260, Fax (510) 663-5264, www.transfairusa.org