Tea Board to build India Tea Centre by Nov 2007

Kolkata, Apr 22: Tea Board has invited bid for its proposed India Tea centre in Cairo to be opened by November, 2007, to promote Indian tea in Egypt.

Speaking to UNI, Tea Board Chairman Basudeb Banerjee said here yesterday that the centre would be built on the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Apart from the Tea Board, the industry under the aegis of the CCPA would participate in setting up the centre.

A three-member team, led by Tea Board Chairman Basudeb Banerjee, had already visited Cairo in March 25.

"We have selected the possible location. After the bid completes, we will select the company which will work with us, " he said.

The Tea Board, under its market access initiative plan, would contribute 75 per cent of the rental in the first year, which would be gradually tapered off to 50 per cent in the second year and 33.3 per cent in the third year.

The industry, producers and exporters would run the centre. In order to register high footfalls, there would be a restaurant to display Indian tea and perhaps allow a free cup as sample in the India Tea centre.

The centre would have a permanent buyer-seller meet arena as well.

Tea export to Egypt had increased from 3.7 lakh ton in 2005 to 2.5 million kg in 2006 and the market has the potential of consuming 70 million kg.

Tea export to Egypt suffered a jolt since 1999 after Egypt became a member of the Common Markets of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 1998 following which a 50 per cent duty was imposed on tea from outside COMESA.

This was later reduced to five per cent and now stood at two per cent, enabling India to regain its competitive edge.

UNI