Cautioning against the use of chemicals to color tea

The province of Lam Dong has issued a request for production facilities and businesses to refrain from using chemicals for the purpose of coloring tea leaves, and to improve their entire management of product quality.

A communication was issued by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong on June 7th to tea production establishments and enterprises that export their products to Pakistan and Afghanistan, regarding the avoidance of tea coloration.

In early May, the Afghan Government implemented a comprehensive prohibition on the importation of Vietnamese teas that contain color additives. Simultaneously, Pakistani importers of tea have issued a cautionary notice to the Pakistan Tea Association and Pakistan Customs regarding the use of coloring agents in tea. At present, the relevant authorities in Pakistan are examining measures to enhance the examination protocols for assessing the quality of tea imports originating from Vietnam.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong province has recommended that tea production and trading enterprises in the region refrain from utilizing tea coloring chemicals during the production process and tea business. This measure is aimed at safeguarding the reputation of Lam Dong and Vietnamese tea brands, as well as preserving the Pakistani and Afghanistani consumption markets. Additionally, this approach is intended to ensure food safety and prevent commercial fraud, which could lead to confusion regarding tea quality.

The Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has recommended that enterprises enhance their quality management practices and collaborate to protect the tea brand of Vietnam. It is advisable to quickly inform the relevant authorities upon detecting cases of individuals or organizations applying chemical agents for the purpose of tea coloring.