ITA inks pact with Chinese body to raise exports

The Indian Tea Association (ITA) on Wednesday said it had signed an MoU with China Tea Marketing Association for lifting the volume of black tea exports from here.

ITA Chairman Vivek Goenka said India exported 13 mkgs of black tea to China last year.

"This year, the target is 15 mkgs," he told reporters here.

China sources black tea from India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. The country imports around 30 mkgs of black tea, he said.

Wang Qing, president of the Chinese body, said China was a great consumer of black tea for health benefits.