ITA urges Centre to introduce "Indian Blend" brand for Pakistan

Kolkata, Feb 11 (UNI) In a bid to boost tea exports to Pakistan, the third largest tea importing country in the world, Indian Tea Association (ITA) has urged the Centre to create and promote a special brand for Pakistan, "Indian Blend".

An ITA release said here today that ''India faces disadvantages because of zero duty allowance to countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka.'' ITA Secretary General Manojit Das Gupta said, that "during our last interaction with the Pakistan Tea Association, the Indian side had suggested the brand for Pakistan and linking of rail route from both North and South India with Karachi." The ITA has suggested the Centre to promote "India Blend" through Market Access initiative in Pakistan, Preferential Duty through SAFTA/FTA, Opening of land route for Tea and direct rail link from North India to Karachi.

ITA has also conducted an exercise in December 2005 covering estimates of crop and domestic consumption of tea.

Mr Das Gupta suggested to the Tea Board for a sustained promotion campaign in order to accomodate sizeable teas coming from the Bought Leaf Factories (BLFs)/Small growing segments in future.

The industry association was also planning to start an export drive in selected target markets like Iran and Egypt, apart from Pakistan.

A generic tea promotion campaign in India, restructuring of further expansion of tea cultivation, licensing of brought leaf factories, acclerating the replanation, rejuvenation activity to lower the age profile of tea gardens and thereby reduce cost of production.

UNI