Buyer-seller meet organized at Mokalbari Tea Estate in Dibrugarh

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Tea Association of India (TAI) with Tea Forum of India, Gujarat organized a buyer-seller meet at Mokalbari Tea Estate in Dibrugarh on Saturday.

TAI is an association of tea producers based in Assam, West Bengal and Sikkim whereas Tea Forum of India is an association of major packeters based at Gujarat. The delegation of Tea Forum of India led by Nidesh Shah, comprised of 30 packeters, mostly young generation entrepreneurs.

President of TAI, Ajay Jalan said the purpose of the meet was to exchange ideas to strengthen the tea industry. The meet was a knowledge trip on Assam Tea for young entrepreneurs of the delegation who were visiting Assam for the first time. The president of the Association hosted the event at his Mokalbari Tea Estate, Dibrugarh and it was also participated by tea producers of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

A field visit was organized by the Mokalbari management for the delegation. During the field visit, the delegation were apprised of various tea bushes clones, plucking methodology, practices to upkeep and maintain the tea estate etc including the challenges faced in the field in making quality teas. The field visit was followed by visit to Mokalbari Orthodox tea factory. The buyers delegation, who mostly deal in CTC teas, showed great interest on orthodox teas and its manufacturing process. Many were keen to work on creating more awareness on orthodox teas drinking in India, which is mostly exported to other parts of the world.

The delegation than made a visit to Mokalbari CTC factory and took keen interest in manufacturing of CTC teas. The field and factory visit was followed by tea tasting session where samples of various producers were laid out. The buyers expressed their views to the producers on the quality parameters based on which they consider buying their teas. The last part of the session was exchange of ideas on ways to further strengthen the tea industry. There were common views of both the buyers and sellers that the consumption of tea in India is low and hence there is a need to improve consumption of tea. One of the ways the consumption of tea can be improved is by generic promotion of tea highlighting its health benefits. The buyers delegation had many questions on the working and management of tea estates and were awe stuck to know the magnanimity of the operation that goes for a cup of tea.

The delegation thanked Tea Association of India and Mokalbari Tea Estate for the enlightening event and felt that more such buyers-seller meet are required in future to strengthen the tea industry. The delegation thanked Tea Association of India and Mokalbari Tea Estate for the enlightening event and felt that more such buyers-seller meets are required in future to strengthen the tea industry.

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