Piyush Goyal urges tea industry to promote organic and GI tea through branding

One District and One Product (ODOP) scheme to help spread the glory of Indian Tea: Piyush Goyal 

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal stated that small tea growers will have the biggest role to play in shaping the future of tea sector in India. He was addressing the Indian Tea Association’s (ITA) International Small Tea Grower’s Convention, on 11 November. 

The Minister appreciated the ITA for having played an instrumental role in the development of the tea industry, since its inception in 1881, 141 years ago. He also applauded the ITA and Solidaridad Asia for their efforts to strengthen the small tea growers for ensuring safe source of supply to the factories and to boost exports.

He said that Darjeeling Tea was the 1st GI Tag product, now 2 other variants of it- Green & White, also hold GI Tags. Development of Chai Sahyog mobile app is another landmark of Indian tea ecosystem, he added. 

He added that in order to make the tea sector profitable, viable and sustainable, we must enhance the ‘AROMA’ of tea;  

• Assistance: Support small growers to improve quality with sustainability, Increase production to meet domestic and international demand.

• Re-energise: Create infrastructure to augment exports and focus on high value markets such as EU, Canada, South America & Middle East.

• Organic: Promote organic and GI tea through brand promotion and marketing.

• Modernisation: To enable tea farmers to become self-reliant and strengthen local supply chains.

• Adaptability: Focus on the importance of a risk proof ecosystem, that is, the need for sustainable solutions to make tea plantations meet the challenges of climate change.

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