With a view to revive the Chinese market for Indian tobacco, a trade delegation has set off to Beijing and started hard selling the commodity that fell from the Chinese grace a few years ago, following complaints of contamination.

Chinese market could be a money-spinner for Indian tobacco traders. The Communist country imports 100 million kg of tobacco every year. “We have asked Chinese officials to send a team to India for inspection and check for themselves issues related to quality and procurement,” Mr G. Kamalavardhana Rao, Chairman of Tobacco Board, told Business Line from Beijing, after the meeting on Thursday.

“They have responded positively to our request,” he said.

Mr Rajiv Mohan (ITC), Mr M Umamaheswar Rao, Mr Hemanth (S.B IMPEX), Mr Sekhar (ML group) and Mr Ajit Chavan (Deputy secretary, Union Ministry of Commerce) are part of the delegation. They met the senior officials of State Trade Monopoly Administration (STMA), the policy making body of tobacco industry in China republic on Thursday.

The delegation told STMA officials that prices of Indian tobacco were highly competitive and that they were following international standards.

“Chinese officials have responded very positively to the request and shown keen interest on strengthening trade relations between China and Indian tobacco. They also informed that they would be visiting India soon,” the Board said in a press release here.

India exported 65,000 tonnes of tobacco in the first quarter ended June 30, 2011, as against 59,000 tonnes in the same quarter last year, growing by 9 per cent.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW