India eyes alternative markets for exporting tea meant to be shipped to Pak

An exporter from south India said there are several instances when Indian exporters bill teas to an importer in Dubai

Amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, and India's withdrawal of the most favoured nation (MFN) status to Pakistan, tea exporters and producers are looking at alternative markets such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nations and West Asian countries to sell their produce.

Exporters are of the view that while direct exports to Pakistan will be nearly nil this month, and in the coming few months, alternative markets can be explored for exporting tea, which was originally meant for Pakistan. According to Vivek Goenka, chairman, Indian Tea Association (ITA), the type of tea that goes to Pakistan can