Tata Coffee's instant coffee plant in Uganda

Bangalore, Nov 8: Tata Coffee Limited will set up an instant coffee manufacturing unit in Uganda in three months, TCL Managing Director M H Ashroff announced today.

Speaking to newsmen here on the sidelines of the 48 annual conference of the Karnataka Planters Association here he said discussions were in progress with regard to purchase of machinery and equipment and contractors to install the plant. The company had already signed an agreement with the Ugandan government 20 days ago in this regard, he added.

Replying to queries he said the plant, to be installed with an investment of around Rs 70 crores, was expected to produce 3600 tons of instant coffee per year. This product would be sold in European Union and China besides Uganda. The purpose of setting up of the plant in Uganda was that it had special relationship with the EU and the existing liberal tax laws, he revealed.

To another question he said the recently acquired 8 o' clock brand coffee was a high end category and the production would commence at a plant in Madurai next month. The company would sell the product to Russia and other Commonwealth Independent States besides other places, he added.

UNI