HAPPENING -- 1 ::

TEA BOARD CHAIRMAN IN COONOOR

BY P S SUNDAR

Tea Board Chairman Siddharth visited Coonoor for the first time on March 20, 2015. 







Coinciding with this, a postal stamp with Tea Board logo was released.

A meeting of Small Tea Growers' Societies was conducted where the Chairman distributed fiscal assistance.  

I could see two major developments at this meet as also during my interaction with him ::

-- Tea Board's Southern regional office at Coonoor will get more powers due to decentralisation; 

--  Tea Board's assistance to Nilgiri Planters' Association for the conduct of Nilgiri Winter Specialty Tea Auction will be revived. 

This is my article on these in The New Indian Express today::

and they spoke ::

R Ambalavanan

T Rangaiah

S Soundararajan

FOR THE RECORD - 4::

ARTICLE IN CONTEMPORARY TEA TIME JAN-MAR 2015)

BY P S SUNDAR

FOR THE RECORD - 4::

ARTICLE IN THE ASSAM REVIEW & TEA NEWS (FEBRUARY 2015)

BY P S SUNDAR

TEA AND TOURISM -- 2 ::

GERMANS GAIN PROFESSIONAL TEA TASTING EXPERIENCE

BY P S SUNDAR

Engineer Alexander Meinold and his wife Ute Feick-Lulay, retired teacher, were on a ‘tea tour’ in the Nilgiris through The Le Passage to India Travel Group, New Delhi. They are visiting Karnataka and Kerala for other aspects of tourism but in the Nilgiris, their focus was on ‘tea and tourism’.

“We visited tea estate, factory and museum in the Nilgiris”, Ute told me when they assembled at Kothari Agricultural Management Centre (KAMC) on March 9 for an exclusive tea tasting session KAMC had organised for their benefit.

“We regularly conduct training programmes for international professional tea tasters sponsored by Government of India.  Besides, we support Government’s initiative for ‘tea and tourism’ by offering on-hand tea tasting experience to discerning tourists like these German visitors.  The Le Passage to India Travel Group is a large organisation catering to the needs of different overseas travellers.  It will certainly help a lot to create correct understanding of Nilgiris tea if Le Passage group bring in more such travellers.   Our ‘tea tasting sessions’ enhance the value for such tourism”, KAMC Director Dr AVK Iyengar told me.

On his request, I gave a brief orientation on the global and Indian tea situation with accent on the Nilgiri tea.  I also introduced them to tourism impact on tea.   More importantly, I took them through ‘wellness’ factor of tea – its anti-oxidant , anti-carcinogenic, oxidation, cholesterol reduction, endothelial, Polyphenol, digestion, dermatological, nerves, bones, dental and mental alertness.  I rounded off highlighting the hospitality and eco-friendly role played by tea.    These were well appreciated.  

“We helped them taste besides black teas, multiple brewing Nilgiri-grown Avataa green, white, oolong and silvertip teas which have bright scope in Germany”, Dr Iyengar disclosed.

“We guided them through first-hand experience of valuing tea through appearance, infusion, liquor colour, strength and flavour besides using tongue’s taste buds”, Tea-Tasting expert Baskaran said.

“Economy in Germany is showing good signs of improvement.  The construction industry is in boom.   People are prepared to spend money.  So, it is good news for all who want to trade with Germany now”, Alexander noted.

The couple enquired if it would be possible to buy Indian teas in the same brands in German retail chains.   “We are impressed.  We will support Nilgiri tea back home”, Ute Feick-Lulay said taking with her varieties of Avataa multiple brewing teas.

PROMOTION - 4:: 

INDIAN TEA DELEGATION RETURNS FROM RUSSIA WITH ENCOURAGING RESPONSE

BY P S SUNDAR.

On Feb 2, 2015, I had posted in this Blog my article on the proposed visit of Indian delegation to Russia.   The delegation has since returned with some encouraging reports.

The visit of the delegation was guided by Tea Board’s Moscow office.

The delegation’s visit coincided with ‘Prodexpo 2015’, the largest trade event in Moscow.  Tea Board of India held a stall at the expo in which Premiers Tea India Ltd., Godfrey Philips India Ltd., Golden Tips India Ltd., Vikrama Impex, Jayshree Tea,  JFK International, Limtex India Ltd. and Arrum Enterprises participated.  

There were individual booths represented by Sanjeev Jha (Primiers Tea), Sajeev Roy (Jayshree Tea), Bala Sarda (Golden Tips India), Raman Jha (JFK International), Rajesh Sonkar (Vikrama Impex), Saren Raju (Arrum Enterprises), Puneet Ratana (Godfrey Philips) and Niraj Kumar (Limtex indie Ltd).  Prospective buyers, distributors and marketing personnel of tea industry in Russia and neighbouring countries were said to have visited these stalls and booths. 

The Indian delegation comprised Vijay Jaganath (Mc Leod Russel), Sajeev Roy, (Jayshree Tea), Kapil Sharma (Vikrama Impex), Nirad Kumar Bagla (North Western Cachar Tea Company), Mudit Rajoria (Baghmarhi Group of Plantations), Indranil Mukerjee (Godfrey Philips India Ltd) and Bala Sarda (Golden Tips).

Indian Tea Industry representatives in Moscow, Baskaran Radakrishnan (JV Gokul), Anupam Mishra (Kayans Tea), Praveen Kumar (Indu Tea), Niraj Kumar (Nargis Tea) also represented Indian Tea delegation at various meetings.

Members of Indian Tea delegation had successful meetings with tea companies based in Moscow and St Petersburg including Ahamed Tea, Mai Company, Orimi Trade, Nadin Tea, Riston, Rubin Tea, Retail Chains like 7 Continent, members of Rusteacoffee association and Government bodies like Russian Customs, Rospatent and Rospotrebzdnaor and Central Bank of Russia.

The Buyer-Seller Meet was attended by representatives from different companies including Forsman Tea, Unitea, Ahmed Tea, Tea Land , Tea house, RCH K Trading, Nadin, RIston, Ahmed Tea, Rubin Tea, Tea Funny, Moscow Tea Factory, ‘7 Continent’ and distributors of Limtex

  

During the meeting with Riston, Director of Riston Russia, Sampat, gave brief power point presentation while Tea Board appraised about the latest development in quality control. Tea samples were exchanged between Riston and members of the delegation for further examination. The delegation also visited the factory and flavouring units of Nadin Tea and had an interaction with Directors Alexander Levishit and Varvara Rassakova.  It visited Ahmed Tea Factory and had meeting with Mahdi Mansourfrar, Factory-in-charge. Meeting with Company May was coordinated by Roman Pulchuk, Director Raw Material Procurement. Mai company meets 60 per cent of its demand by volume from import of Indian Tea, mainly south Indian Tea.

India Tea delegation presented a professional Tea tasting session for the general public at a cultural village Ethanomir, some 130 km away from Moscow city. Victoria Drannikova, professional Tea Taster of Universal Food Technologies conducted tasting and sampling session.   People said that they got an opportunity to learn more about various types and brands of Indian Teas meant for Russian Market.

Some of the striking features that have arisen from the delegation’s meetings were:

1. Encouraging reports on the quality of Indian tea exported to Russia ::  The delegation met the officials of Russian quality control department Rospotrebnazdor.  The authorities informed the Indian delegation that so far they have not received a single complaint on quality or food safety aspects on Indian Teas and they are satisfied with the quality parameters and standards maintained for Indian Tea.

2. The delegation also discussed with the authorities concerned regarding protection of trademarks and Geographical Indicators (GI) pertaining to Origin Tea like Nilgiris, Assam and Darjeeling.   Russian authorities have agreed to extend the benefit for registration of Trademarks and GI for Indian tea as available to WTO member countries.

3. The officials of Federal Customs Service department have agreed to hold a meeting soon to recommend ways for speedy clearance of sample consignments and also speedy refund of excess duties levied.

4. At the meeting with the officials of Russian Tea and Coffee Importers’ Association, Rusteacoffee Association, both the countries strongly recommended for rupee-rouble trade for Indian tea exports.

5. The Joint Working Group dealing with Central Bank of Russia will submit its recommendation in April 2015 for settlement in national currencies to Central Bank of Russia and Reserve bank of India.

6.  Another interesting outcome was the announcement of Russian retail chain major “7 Continent” to submit a proposal to Tea Board for promotion of exclusive Indian Tea brands in its Nash hypermarket in 156 outlets in 13 cities across Russia.  Vernonika Melinikova and Elena Rudkova, Directors of ‘7 Continent’, led the discussion.

These are regarded as important developments as Russia, along with CIS, is the largest importer of Indian tea.  The visit will be tellingly successful if it ends up in more shipment of Indian tea to Russia fetching higher returns.