The Hindu Business Line : US to support Nilgiri speciality teas

“We are comfortable dealing with India. Having seen for the first time how quality teas are manufactured in the Nilgiris, I will spread the message to tea traders in the US. We are impressed by the long tradition of Indian teas, spanning a period of 200 years. More and more tea rooms are now taking to Indian teas. The Nilgiris tea has not been all that popular with us compared to Darjeeling or Assam, but I will explain to the traders back home the superior quality of these teas,” said Mr Joseph P. Simrany, President, Tea Association of the US.

Speciality teas

Launching the Glendale Speciality Tea retail packs at Glendale Estate in Coonoor he recalled how some of these teas had created records in the US by fetching $600 a kg. “This shows that there is support for quality supplies. We wish that you fetch more such prices in the days to come,” said Mr Simrany who is also President of US Speciality Tea Institute and the Tea Council of USA.

His wife, Mrs Carol Simrany, received the first basket of Glendale Speciality Tea packs in the presence of Mr Ali R. Rizvi, Director of Tea Promotion, London.

Hailing the quality of these teas, Mr R.D. Nazeem, Executive Director, Tea Board, said he had taken it up with the authorities of the Guinness Book of Records to give an entry to Glendale Tea on its having fetched the highest price of $600 a kg.

Glenworth prospects

Mr K. Gopalakrishnan, Director, Glenworth Estate Ltd, which owns Glendale Estate, said that although the company produced some 1.5 million kgs annually, 75 per cent of it was exported. “But, the packs we are launching today are orthodox teas for the home segment in India, which will give the Indian consumers an opportunity to taste speciality teas. These come in vacuum packaging,” he said.