30/06/2026
The Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, officially opened the Miniature Tea Processing Unit on 03 June 2026 at the Meewathura Farm premises.
This newly established facility serves as an extension of the "Aroma Acres Study Fields", a dedicated teaching, research, and demonstration area located at Meewathura Farm. The initiative aims to strengthen practical education, research, and outreach activities related to tea cultivation and processing.
The development of both the Aroma Acres Study Fields and the Miniature Tea Processing Unit was supported through the N-Tea Project, titled "Can organic farming practices increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency and decrease N losses in mature tea (Camellia sinensis L. (O.) Kuntze) plantations in Sri Lanka?". The project was funded under the SPIRIT Program of the Swiss National Science Foundation.
The N-Tea Project represents a successful international collaboration among the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (TRI).
Principal Investigators of the Project
Prof. Janaki Mohotti
Prof. Emmanuel Frossard
Dr. Keerthi Mohotti
The project collaborators included:
University of Peradeniya
Prof. S. P. Nissanka
Prof. Lalith Suriyagoda
Dr. Mojith Ariyaratne
Dr. Duminda Vidana Gamage
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Dr. Astrid Oberson
Dr. Hans-Martin Krause
Dr. Julie Tolu
Dr. Federica Tamburini
Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka
Dr. Mahesh Liyanage
Dr. Deepthi Amarasena
The Faculty of Agriculture extends its sincere appreciation to all collaborators and funding partners whose contributions have enabled the establishment of this important facility, further strengthening teaching, research, and innovation in Sri Lanka's tea sector.