The Hindu Business Line : Tea Board mulls annual contest for quality teas

This was announced by Mr N.K. Das, Chairman of Tea Board, while responding to the suggestion of the UPASI President, Mr Anil Kumar Bhandari, to hold such competitions on the lines of coffee.

Noting that such competitions encouraged the producers to go for quality production, Mr Das said that the proposal was already on cards.

He told Business Line that the Government was seriously examining a scheme to encourage the production and marketing of orthodox teas through incentives and subsidies. ``The scheme is in its final stages. It could be announced any time.''

Already, the Board was encouraging the production of orthodox teas through supporting the purchase of colour sorters, quality upgradation and factory modernisation, he said.

Pointing out that he had seen the Nilgiri teas in the shelves of supermarkets abroad, he disclosed that the consumers or the traders there did not know where the Nilgiris was. "So, we have to promote the Nilgiris as a place and create a right niche for the Nilgiri teas," he said.

Earlier, inaugurating the "Nilgiri Tea Styles 2005" Speciality Tea Auction at the Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA), Mr Das said that such speciality organic teas had good demand in countries such as Australia, the US, West Asia and south-east Asia. This was value-added tea and it was slated to win premium prices, he said.

Observing that the importing countries imposed various restrictions on quality, he urged the exporters to get the teas tested in the labs here itself and be alert to the global requirements.

Mr Vikram Kapur, Executive Director, Tea Board, referred to the restrictions arising from the pesticide residues in the teas exported and urged the produces to be careful. He also suggested to the growers to go for organic cultivation as organic orthodox high-quality teas enjoyed premium in global markets.

The UPASI President, Mr Bhandari, said that following quality competitions conducted for the coffee industry, such coffees attracted 50 to 100 per cent more prices than others. "This can happen to tea and we are proposing to consider floating such a quality competition annually whose prizes could be distributed during the UPASI annual conference,'' he said.

Pointing out that the Nilgiris was traditionally a producer orthodox teas, Mr. T.G.B. Pinto, Chairman of the Nilgiris Planters Association (NPA), said the Nilgiri teas are known for their flavour, taste and aroma. the Speciality tea auction is to make them known globally, he said.

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