Upasi looks at Iran, Pak to raise tea exports

United Planters’ Association of South India (Upasi), is exploring possibilities of setting up India Tea Centres in Iran and Pakistan to boost demand for south Indian tea. It already has one in Egypt.

Speaking on the sidelines of Karnataka Planters' Association 50th annual conference here on Wednesday, D P Maheshwari, chairman, Upasi and managing director Jay Shree Tea and Industries (a B K Birla company) said, “Currently, we are working on setting up a centre in Cairo, Egypt and also exploring setting up more centres in other countries like in Iran and Pakistan, but a deadline is not set”

"The whole exercise of setting up tea centres in Egypt, Iran and Pakistan is to recapture the traditional south Indian tea market. Commerce ministry and Tea Board have identified Egypt, Iran and Pakistan as thrust areas for improving tea exports," he added.

Indian Tea Centre in Cairo, Egypt is being opened on a public-private partnership model involving the Upasi and the Tea Board. “An Upasi team had visited Cairo early this year and held negotiations with land owners to hire the premises to set up the centre. It will become operational by the year end,” Ullas Menon, secretary-general, Upasi said.

India, with flourishing tea exports to Egypt for over two decades, lost its market to Kenya recently. Now Upasi and commerce ministry through India Tea Centres have drawn up an ambitious plan to increase exports from 4.5 million kgs in 2007 to 20 million kgs by 2012.