21-05-2025
Government to promote Indian tea with local spices
NEW DELHI: The government has asked its agencies, the Tea Board of India and the Spices Board of India to join hands in marketing Brand India globally, a senior official said on Wednesday.
Commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal on Wednesday said he has directed the Tea Board to evolve a strategy to market the domestic tea industry in a big way. He also spoke about promoting 'tea literacy' through various promotional and awareness programmes so that people better appreciate the various specialities and nuances of Indian tea.
The two boards come under the commerce and industry ministry.
He also directed the Tea Board to explore the possibility of launching certification courses in tea tasting with an aim to skill the youth, and promote tourism in the sector.
'The Tea Board is trying to take steps to establish a centre for tea tasting certification courses in the country,' Barthwal said at the International Tea Day Convention held at Vanijya Bhawan. International Tea Day is observed on May 21.
The government is keen to promote the tea industry in a big way.
Commerce minister Piyush Goyal, who is currently visiting the United States, said in a post on X: 'Most of us cannot imagine a morning without our cup of tea. I am one of them! The strong flavour, mixed with aromatic spices and just enough sweetness, will get you ready to face the day. We owe this morning's magic potion to the countless hardworking tea growers across the country who have made India one of the top tea producers and key global exporters of tea. From our gardens spread across the north-east to the south, India's tea tells a story of tradition and taste. This #InternationalTeaDay, we pledge to make Indian tea an indispensable part of homes globally.'
A second official said the tea sector has tremendous export potential and grew 11% to $920 million in FY25 on an annualised basis.
Assam, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, are major tea producing states. Over 80% of the tea produced in the country is consumed domestically. Main varieties of Indian tea include Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri, and Kangra.
Minister of State for Commerce & Industry Jitin Prasada emphasised the importance of tea in the socio-economic fabric of the country and the need to explore innovative avenues of branding and marketing Indian teas, so as to reinforce its position as a world leader in tea export.
He exhorted the Indian tea industry to achieve greater heights in the export scenario and to reinvent itself with new and innovative varieties of teas, especially targeted towards the youth and niche markets. He also stressed on the fact that we need to ensure the best facilities for all the stakeholders in the entire supply chain from the grower to the consumer.
