Local tea producers are considering a boycott of the Colombo tea auction due on Tuesday and Wednesday as a mark of protest against minister Jeevan Thondaman, reports "Mawbima".
The minister and his supporters took a top tea estate official hostage and threatened that tea produce will not be allowed reach the auction.
Producers are presently discussing a boycott as well as refraining from going to the estates until the political authority guarantees their safety.
On numerous occasions, Thondaman has forced his way to tea estates and took the law into his own hands.
In the most recent incident, he stormed a Kelani Valley Plantations office and detained its CEO Anura Weerakoon for several hours.
Top tea industry officials had a meeting on Friday as well to discuss these threats.
The weekly tea action has an average turnover of between 250 and 300 US dollars.
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