Tea centres debut in Egypt and Iran

The Centre is setting up two tea marketing centres, one each in Cairo and Teheran. The move comes in the wake of increased demand for south Indian teas in newer markets such as Egypt and Iran.

While the Cairo centre is likely to be operational by the end of 2006, the one at Teheran will begin operation by the first quarter of 2007.

Addressing the 113rd annual conference of the United Planters' Association of South India (Upasi), Jairam Ramesh, Union minister of state for commerce, said the Centre had identified Pakistan, Iran and Egypt as target markets for promotion of tea exports.

"Apart from increasing delegation visits to these countries, Upasi and the Indian Tea Association, along with the ministry, are exploring the possibility of opening and running India tea centres in these two regions," the minister said.

The government was willing to set up infrastructure at the proposed tea marketing centres provided the industry ran the operations, Ramesh added.

For the first six months of calendar 2006, exports grew 33 per cent to 5.74 million kg in volumes compared with 4.29 million kg in the corresponding period last year.

In terms of value, growth was 40 per cent at Rs 27.6 crore from Rs 19.7 crore, with a higher unit price of Rs 48 a kg against Rs 44 a kg in the previous year.

The demand for Indian teas has been on an upsurge in Pakistan since the two countries agreed to open up trade in commodities in the Saarc region and owing to lower off-take by Pakistani traders from a drought-hit Kenya this year.