Guwahati: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has asked to enhance the ‘AROMA’ of tea to make the sector profitable, viable and sustainable.
The minister said this while addressing the Indian Tea Association’s (ITA) International Small Tea Growers’ Convention in Calcutta on Friday.
AROMA stands for assistance, re-energise, organic, modernisation, and adaptability.
The minister quipped that the path to a developed and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ passes through the grounds of every tea plantation in the country and said that small tea growers will have the biggest role to play in shaping the future of the tea sector in India.
The smallholder tea segment currently shares more than 50% of the total production and is a vital source of green leaf for many estate factories manufacturing out of bought leaf.
The minister appreciated the ITA for having played an instrumental role in the development of the tea industry, since its inception in 1881, 141 years ago. He also applauded the ITA and Solidaridad Asia for their efforts to strengthen the small tea growers for ensuring a safe source of supply to the factories and to boost exports.
Goyal noted that tea is an integral part of Indian heritage. He said that chai is not just tea made in Indian style – it essentially is India in a teacup. “Chai is not just a beverage for Indians, it is an emotion, a symbol of unity and friendship. Serving tea has become a mark of respect and a crucial part of the Atithi Devo Bhava culture of India,” he added.
Goyal noted that the Indian tea Industry is 2nd largest in the world. He spoke of the Darjeeling Tea, also known as ‘Champagne of teas’ worldwide because of its flowery scent, and Assam tea, a symbol of India’s global recognition.
The minister stressed that the tea sector had played a pivotal role in employment generation in the country. “Not just the growers, producers, and exporters, but also various startups and business models have emerged solely based on tea,” he said.
Goyal said that the government as an enabler has taken various steps to support our small tea growers, such as the implementation of the online licensing system and auto-renewal of three types of licenses i.e. exporter license, tea waste license, and tea warehouse license.
He said that Darjeeling Tea was the first GI tag product, now 2 other variants of it green and white also hold GI tags. Development of the ‘Chai Sahyog’ mobile app is another landmark of the Indian tea ecosystem, he added.
The minister noted that Indian tea growers are now spreading the aroma, taste, and colour of India tea to the world. He said that the world has already tasted and appreciated the flavour of Sikkim, Nilgiris, Kangra, and Assam teas and expressed hope that other varieties of tea would also open the world’s mind and palate to more flavors of India.
The minister said that the One District and One Product (ODOP) scheme will give the impetus to spread the glory of Indian Tea.
At the small tea growers convention, speakers from the small tea growers associations in Assam, West Bengal, and South India presented their views on various issues they are facing while making over 50 percent of tea. In another session, the corporate sector including buyers shared their experience in buying leaves from small tea growers and marketing the made tea. The speakers said customers’ requirements are the prime objective keeping in mind stringent quality aspects.
Delegates from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Nepal attended the conference under the aegis of Asia Alliance.
The forum of Asia Tea Alliance comprising leading industry bodies from tea-producing countries — ITA, Tea Board of Sri Lanka, China Tea Marketing Association, Indonesian Tea Marketing Association, and Central Tea Association of Japan — was set up in 2019 and facilitated by Solidaridad Asia with multiple objectives of strengthening mutually beneficial ties by way of sharing of information, trade promotion for boosting tea consumption, enhancing technology exchange, among others.
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