gearing up to meet challenges

Union Commerce minister Kamal Nath exhorted the tea industry to meet the challenges of the changing times for adapting to the future tastes of consumers.

“The past sometimes is no model for the future. The challenge is how we simulate the future with changing habits, tastes, flavours and new consumers”, Nath told the valedictory function of the India International Tea Convention in Guwahati.

“In the global economy there are uncertainties...you have to see what the challenges to your industry are. Adopt innovative and creative thinking”, Mr. Nath said.

“Why can’t we have a brand of our own? What efforts need for branding? What does it translate for your economy?”

“We are reaching out to Pakistan. Tea is one area where India and Pakistan cannot only trade but collaborate. Economic opportunities are opening up. All this throws up new challenges”, he pointed out.

Since the tea sector generated employment, the minister said, “yours is a key sector. Government is doing its job, but at the end you have to take the initiative. Government is committed to this crucial sector but you will have to lead the way”.

Later speaking to reporters Mr. Nath said a special purpose tea fund had been started keeping in view the replantation and rejuvination aspects of the tea industry and also its social costs coming in the way of competition.

The social costs, which is prevalent in no other country, would be shared by both the Central and State Governments, he added.

Assam announces 3-tier package

Its curtains for India International Tea Convention but not before Assam, which hosted the prestigious event, announced a three-tier revolution, which would strive to project the State as the natural capital of the world. The new revolution, apart from stressing on sustainable growth of natural resources, would lay special impetus on bringing back the lost glory to the Assam tea in the global market.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, as a step towards achieving the goal, today went on to announce reduction of stamp duty to 5 per cent for women and 6 per cent for others.

Mr. Gogoi also announced that the concession on agricultural tax for the tea exported from Amingaon ICD would now be Rs 1 per kg, which earlier used to be 50 paise.

Regarding the concession on green tea leaf, which was one of the long-standing demands of the tea gardens, Gogoi said: “As a case pertaining to this is being heard by the Supreme Court, the State Government is not in a position to announce anything in this regard.”

“We are no doubt capable of meeting the challenges and the State Government in co-operation with the Centre would leave no stone unturned to create new markets for Assam tea across the globe,” the Chief Minister said, while speaking during the valedictory function of the Indian International Tea Convention.

Announcing the three-tier revolution in the form of green, blue and clean revolution, the State Power and Industry Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said, “While the green revolution would aim at sustainable optimisation of our land, the blue and green revolution would strive for sustainable optimisation of water and technology respectively.”

“This apart from ensuring optimum use of our natural resources would go a long in earning us the tag of world’s natural capital, thanks to the unique natural assets we possess,” he opined.

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