Value Addition in the Sri Lankan Tea Industry: Strategies for Market Diversification and Sustainability

The study explores leadership's role in promoting value addition, market diversification, and sustainability within Sri Lanka's tea export industry. Findings reveal transformational leadership fosters innovation and employee engagement, while transactional styles maintain operational efficiency. Challenges include resistance to change, limited investment in technology, and fragmented collaboration across the value chain. Strategic alignment of value addition with sustainability initiatives, such as eco -friendly practices and organic certifications, is essential for global competitiveness. Collaborative leadership emerges as a critical driver of long -term industry progress.