Upasi to hold Golden Leaf award in February

After the success of 'The Golden Leaf India Awards: Southern Tea Competition- 2005', the first-ever tea quality competition, jointly organised by the United Planters Association of South India (Upasi) and Tea Board of India in Coonoor, Upasi is gearing up to organise the 'Golden Leaf Award' contest for the best South Indian tea.

The contest would be held in connection with the Global Tea Forum in Dubai from February 25 "� 27, 2006, said a press release.

The association got the final nod for conducting the contest from the Dubai Tea Trade Centre and would complete collecting samples before February 5. The first level of screening will be organised at Coonoor during the second week of February which will be followed by technical analysis on pesticide residues and heavy metals at the Upasi- Tea Research Foundation. The final round is likely to be held on February 25.

The contest will be limited to two grades, leaves and fannings, in the orthodox and CTC varieties for the entries from the six regions- Nilgiris, Highranges, Anamallais, Travancore, Wayanad and Karnataka.

Similarly, the organic teas from the whole of South also would be represented only by these two grades, according to the organising committee convener N Dharmarajan. This is to ensure that only limited samples are carried to Dubai. During the first edition of the contest held in September 2005, grades of broken tea and dust also were included.

Unlike the earlier version, this time the winter flavour teas, a premium product, are expected at the contest, the release added.