Upasi team to meet Kamal Nath over revamp

The United Planters Association of South India (Upasi) will lead a delegation soon to meet Union commerce minister Kamal Nath and other officials of the commerce and labour ministries for setting in motion the process of restructuring the plantation industry, said a press release.

E B Sethna, president of Upasi, stated that he along with the association's former president Anil K Bhandari and secretary-general Ullas Menon would also urge the minister to adopt a strategy whereby regulations like the Labour Act and marketing maxims that now regulated and drove the industry would be radically overhauled.

The association would seek implementation of a large-scale medium-term domestic generic promotion campaign to increase the consumption of tea, coffee and spices. Besides promoting domestic consumption, the programme would also seek the removal of surpluses in these commodities.