• India Orders Testing of Every Batch of Imported Nepal Tea | Tata Reports Greater Shift to Premiumization | India Halts Exports to West Asia

    By Aravinda Anantharaman | Managing Editor

    India Tea News for the week ending April 26, 2024
    India Tea News | Aravinda Anantharaman
    Subscribe Free
    Nepal Truck enroute to India
    Nepal truck en route to India

    Tea from Nepal Stopped for Testing

    After repeated urging from Darjeeling’s tea planters, the Centre has issued a circular stating that every batch of tea entering India from Nepal must be tested for pesticide residues. Until now, Customs has tested a small percentage of the samples randomly. With the new amendment, every batch comes under scrutiny. The testing is done at the National Food Laboratory, Kolkata, and takes 15 days. This means the trucks carrying the tea will remain at the roadside awaiting results. Nepal depends on India as over 90% of its tea is exported here. However, Darjeeling’s tea planters have insisted that the Centre stop Nepal tea imports as it has affected both the quality of tea sold as Darjeeling tea (blended with Nepal tea) and prices. Further, India pays a 40% import duty on Nepal tea, while Nepal is not obliged to pay any for imports from India following a trade agreement. Non-compliance to food safety standards is a pressing concern in the Indian tea industry. – Kathmandu Post

    Tata Reports Revenue from Premium and Sub-Premium Brands

    Money Control has reported that premium and sub-premium brands brought over two-thirds of Tata Consumer Products’ revenue for the financial year that just ended. Tata Tea Gold, Tata Tea Premium, and Tetley Green Tea performed well, with e-commerce driving sales. It is a sign that consumers seek better quality tea via recognized brands. Informist Media has reported that in the financial year ending March 2023, TCPL bought 20.7 mn kilos of tea from North Indian auction centers, averaging Rs 170 per kilo. The market leader, Hindustan Unilever, bought 51.3 mn kilos at an average price of Rs 179.6 per kilo. Lower prices at auctions indicate that both companies stand to earn higher margins.

    India Halts Tea Exports to West Asia

    As tensions increase between Iran and Israel, Indian tea sellers have halted exports to Iran and the Middle East. Shipping companies are also expected to stay away from these ports. This will be a setback for Indian tea as Iran—once a major buyer—is also a gateway to West Asian countries.

    Powered by RedCircle

    •

    Aravinda Anantharaman

    •

    ,
    , , , , , , , , ,

  • Amalgamated Plantations (APPL) Head Resigns | First Flush in North India Sees Low Crop But High Quality

    By Aravinda Anantharaman | Managing Editor

    India Tea News for the week ending April 19, 2024
    Subscribe Free
    Amalgamated Plantations operates gardens in Assam and Dooars

    Amalgamated Plantations (APPL) Head Resigns

    Vikram Singh Gulia, MD and CEO of the Amalgamated Plantations Pvt. Ltd. will leave on 30th June 2024. He is the second head of one of the top five tea corporations to resign this year after Atul Asthana’s exit from the Goodricke Group. The APPL Board has appointed Sukhjeet Singh Malhotra, Vice-President – PSO, Tata Consumer Products, as Wholetime Director and CEO Designate, effective April 9th, 2024. The Amalgamated Plantations include 25 estates in Assam and the Dooars, producing 40 million kilos of tea annually, making them India’s second largest tea producer.

    Vikram Singh Gulia

    High Grown First Flush Sees Lower Yield but Better Quality

    The prolonged drought from October to March in north India has impacted tea crops in north India. The first flush picking began in late March; although rains have started, the crop is still in low quantity. This is seen in Darjeeling and Kangra. Vivek Lochan of Doke Tea says quality has been good and better than in recent years, thanks to the drought-induced slow growth. In Kangra, volume has also been impacted, although tea quality is up. The first flush verdict is low crop but good quality, sweet teas, better than in recent years. How the market responds is to be seen.

    Powered by RedCircle

    •

    Aravinda Anantharaman

    •

    ,
    , , , , , ,

  • Colombo International Tea Convention | July 24-26

    Subscribe Free

    Episode 161

    Early Bird Discount Ends March 31 | CITC Home Page

    Click to Register

    Tea News Recap | 29 March 2024

    Powered by RedCircle

    CITC Colombo July 24-26
    CITC Colombo July 24-26

    Toward a Sustainable Tea Industry

    By Dan Bolton

    The Colombo Tea Traders’ Association and Sri Lanka Tea Board will host the Colombo International Tea Convention (CITC) at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel from July 24 to 26.

    | Early bird discounts end on March 31. 

    The convention theme is “Tea: A Lifestyle & A Livelihood.” The event will explore Ceylon tea’s pivotal role, spark conversations, and inspire action toward a sustainable tea industry.

    The program includes 50 speakers and will unfold in eight sessions over three days. Events include an outcry auction, gala dinner, and beach party on closing night. A Ceylon Tea Tasting Experience will introduce attendees to Sri Lanka’s growing regions.

    Sessions include “Fair Price as a Global Challenge,” a topic of utmost relevance in today’s tea industry; an “Ozone Friendly to Zero Carbon” session on climate; and a conversation about the “Value of Tea.” Sri Lanka has emerged from financial, political, and social turmoil, addressed in a session on “The Resilience of Tea & Its Legacy.”

    BIZ INSIGHT — I will moderate the Friday discussion on “Innovation,” which features a panel of ag technology experts presenting innovations such as streamlining financial transactions, online markets, new traceability tools, digital identification, and cloud-based analysis of tea as a service.

    Share this post

    Colombo International Tea Convention | Episode 161

    Dan Bolton
    Usambara Tanzania 2023

    Dan Bolton

    Dan is a niche content creator who fosters genuine connections globally through informative, educational, and captivating conversations centered around tea.
    Host | Tea Biz Blog | Podcast

    Follow Me On LinkedIn
    2021

    Episodes 1-49

    2022

    Ep 50-96

    2023

    Ep 97-148

    2024

    Ep 149-161

    Powered by RedCircle

    •

    Dan Bolton

    •

    , , , , , , , , ,

  • Bought Leaf Factories Oppose 100% Dust in Auctions | Assam Expects a Big Drop in First Flush Production | HUL Focuses on Assam to Support Tea Industry

    By Aravinda Anantharaman | Managing Editor

    India Tea News for the week ending 29 March 2024
    India Tea News | Aravinda Anantharaman
    Subscribe Free
    Bought Leaf Factory, Nilgiris, India
    Bought Leaf Factory, Nilgiris, India

    Bought Leaf Factories Reject 100% Dust Auction

    The Telegraph reported that the Assam Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturer’s Association unanimously opposed the tea board’s order for 100% of dust-grade tea to be sold via the auctions. Their view is that their existing sales mechanisms bring higher price realization when compared with auctions. The members also opposed the demand on the Bought Leaf Factories to test all the green leaf sourced and tea produced at their factories for food safety compliance, stating that the use of chemicals and pesticides was by the grower and not at the factory. They have also said they will cease manufacturing operations starting 1st April 2024 to protest against the non-compliance of green tea leaves.

    Assam to See a Significant Drop in First Flush Production

    North India has been seeing a dry start to the year, which has impacted tea production. The first flush plucking expected to begin in early March has been delayed due to lack of rain. Media reports quote planters as saying the crop will be about 40% lower than average production for the season. Assam production in March 2023 stood at about 34 mn kilos. All eyes are on April to see if the first flush will meet expectations. Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Kangra have also had a late start to the season because of prolonged dry weather.

    HUL Offers Interventions to Support Indian Tea

    Hindustan Unilever, which owns tea brands Brooke Bond, Taj Mahal, and Taaza, partnered with the Tea Research Association of India to promote regenerative agriculture. HUL and TRA plan to undertake a “Life Cycle Analysis” to develop strategies to reduce carbon impact. This will cover 19 tea estates/factories and 19 small tea growers across 15,000 hectares in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. HUL is also expected to invest in Assam to enhance value addition in tea. Economic Times

    Powered by RedCircle

    •

    Aravinda Anantharaman

    •

    ,
    , , , , , , , , ,

  • NETA Opposes 100% Dust Auction | Spotlight on Safe Tea in 2024 | India to Send Trade Delegation to Iran

    By Aravinda Anantharaman | Managing Editor

    India Tea News for the week ending March 22, 2024

    Powered by RedCircle

    Subscribe Free
    India Mandates All Tea Dust to be Sold at Auction
    India mandates that all tea dust must be sold at auction

    NETA Opposes 100% Dust Auction

    Kamal Jalan, Chairman of The North Eastern Tea Association (NETA), spoke on the challenges facing the Assam tea industry and the way forward. The Association, which held its biennial general meeting in Golaghat, Assam, on March 13, has spoken against the latest government order for 100% of Tea Dust to be sold via the auction system, calling it detrimental to the industry’s survival. They also raised the issue of food safety compliance, calling for greater awareness among small tea growers, increased testing and facilities needed to conduct tests at factories, and a roadmap towards achieving 100% compliance with food safety standards. They also raised the issue of stopping tea production in winter, which is now practiced in north India. The Association has said they do not favor reducing production but instead focus on the generic promotion of tea in the domestic market, aiming for per capita consumption of 1 kilo.

    Safe Tea Comes into Focus

    Indian tea is seeing a renewed and determined march towards food safety. After coming under constant flak, 2024 opened with the Food Safety Standards Association of India, calling for more compliance and partnering with the tea board to see how this can be effected. It’s good to see it in action. Last week, the FSSAI led a training session in the Nilgiris on safe and hygienic tea production practices for small tea growers. In North Bengal, the domestic certification body Trustea partnered with the association of small tea growers for training on pest control, soil health management, and pesticide use.

    India Sends Delegates to Iran

    Iran, once a big buyer of Indian tea, has ceased to import the same volumes as before. The Mint reported that tea shipments to Iran have dropped from 54.5 mn kilos in 2019 to 5.2 mn between January and November 2023. Iran is still considered an important export market; a trade delegation is planned to dialogue with Iranian authorities. Shipping disruptions and payment challenges aside, Iran had an internal crisis in November 2023 when tea importer Debsh Tea Company was embroiled in a $3.4 billion embezzlement scandal. India’s tea exports to the UAE dropped 25% from 2022 to 2023.

    Powered by RedCircle

    •

    Aravinda Anantharaman

    •

    ,
    , , , , , , , ,
Verified by MonsterInsights