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The grand old man of tea – Merrill J Fernando With two celebrations falling this month, turning 90 and marking 70 years in the tea trade, ‘Mr. Dilmah’, Merrill J. Fernando talks to Kumudini Hettiarachchi Ninety years old……..while those of his vintage have long left the boardroom, maybe 30 years before, the ‘brand’ of Dilmah Tea who is Merrill J. Fernando is in his office in the Peliyagoda complex before 8.30 in the morning. Source: Sunday Times The new coronavirus which has brought about a strict lockdown and curfew in Colombo has put paid to his daily work schedule. Nonetheless, he is on the job at home, looking closely at a new deal with a well-known company in Australia which usually promotes only its own brand but recently has been in negotiations with Dilmah to take up this brand as well. Conference calls are the order of the day with ...