Meeting called to streamline tea exports

The Union commerce ministry and the Tea Board have called a meeting to discuss measures to streamline tea export procedures.

The meeting, scheduled either on Tuesday or Wednesday in New Delhi, follows shipment of 1.2 million kg tea, that did not confirm to PFA (Prevention of Food Adulteration) norms, to Libya by a south Indian exporter.

Tea Board chairman N K Das confirmed the meeting, "The ministerial meet will examine options to formulate a suitable policy to ensure such discrepancies are not repeated."

He, however refused to table the discussion points or proposals that the Tea Board will put forward. Also, it is not clear whether the meet will accommodate representatives from the industry.

Till late on Sunday, industry members said they are yet to receive a formal invitation from the ministry. Some growers added that the additional commerce secretary in charge of plantations Abhijit Sengupta is mulling putting forward some concrete measures as early as possible.

Sources said that in the larger interest of the sector, the Tea Board could either propose a format by which it certifies all export consignments or adopt a similar stand like the Coffee and Spices Board, whereby the board issues shipment permits to exporters.

Another demand doing the rounds is clipping the powers of the chamber of commerce to issue certificate of origins and instead hand it over to industry associations like United Planters Association of Southern India and Indian Tea Association.

Growers warned that repercussions and reactions from their side will be severe if the ministry and the board do not act fast on the origin issue. They said that several exporters are blending cheap imports from Vietnam and passing it off as Indian origin tea.

Sources among the trading community said that the South-based exporter Tea Times has orders for another 2 million kg from Libya and is trying to meet it.

They add, that in the last four days 15- 30 tonne trucks have unloaded Vietnam tea at the exporters' warehouse. The Tea Board though says the exporter's godown has already been sealed.