A news of hope for the Assam Tea Industry! Guwahati is going to host the India International Tea Convention at the Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium at Sarusajai with a three-day programme from November 22. The convention is expected to give a big boost to the tea industry in Assam, which is passing through a slump since 1999.

According to Tea industry sources more than 400 delegates from different parts of India and abroad would take part in the convention, where different issues relating to the industry would be discussed. Delegates from the countries like Russia, United Kingdom, Germany, Pakistan, Egypt, Kenya and Sri Lanka have already confirmed their participation and the organisers are also expecting delegates from China and Indonesia. It is for the first time such a convention is being held in Assam, which produces around 52 percent of tea produced in India. In the last financial year, India produced 947 mn kg of tea and Assam produced around 484 mn kg of it.

Sources said that as per the schedule of the convention, it would be inaugurated in the afternoon of November 22 and the business sessions would take place on the next day. Issues like Indian tea panorama, Assam tea, key markets, emergence of retailing, global sourcing of tea etc would be discussed in the business sessions. A tea tasting session of Assam tea by the prospective buyers will be one of the highlights of the second day. The valedictory session will take place on the third day and the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra has been entrusted with the responsibility of organizing the cultural programmes during the convention. The rich cultural heritage of the ethnic groups of Assam will be showcased before the delegates.

The delegates will proceed to the Kaziranga National Park at the conclusion of the convention on November 24 and will be able to enjoy elephant safari the next morning before visiting Behora tea estate in Jorhat. Some delegates will also visit Tocklai Experimental Station under the Tea Research Association and efforts are on to organise a meet between the delegates and small tea growers.

On the benefits of the convention, industry sources pointed out that it would give a golden opportunity to the tea industry in Assam to recover from the slump by increasing exports. Sources said that the foreign buyers, particularly those from the European countries, are not too willing to buy tea unless they see the production line and they would be able to satisfy themselves with visits to the gardens. As the best quality of tea produced in the State will be showcased before the foreign delegates, prices in the auction market are also likely to go up, sources pointed out.

Sources said that at one point of time, the erstwhile USSR was one of the key buyers of Indian tea and used to purchase at least 140 mn kg of tea from India. But the breaking up of the USSR hit the Indian tea industry hard as now Russia is only buying only around 60 mn kg per year. The convention will give an opportunity to impress the prospective buyers from Russia and also from UK and Germany to increase exports to those countries. Moreover, India is planning to increase exports to Pakistan and presence of Pakistani delegates will give an opportunity to the tea companies to impress the buyers from that country.

Eearlier such conventions were held in the metropolitan cities of the country and for the first time it is being held in the heart of a tea producing state. However, at one point of time, there was a move to shift the convention to Kolkata on the plea that the law and order situation in Assam was not conducive for holding such a mega event, but Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Industries and Commerce Minister Pradyut Bordoloi vehemently opposed the move, which forced the Commerce Ministry to give the green signal for holding the convention in Guwahati.

1. teapandya on November 23rd, 2007 4:00 pm

   Its great indeed for the convention to be held at Guwahati. While most people drink Tea, very few have ever seen its so called ‘internals’.
   This can be a good opportunity to show as well as to see share and experience the intimate and intricate workings / experiences of the glorious estates, auctions, blenders, polity, research, geography and lusture of all that is Tea!
   Good Luck and Tea, Cheers!

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