News: India keen to sell black tea in China

(PTI 28/09/2006) Beijing - Indian tea industry keen to forge a long-term relationship with its Chinese counterparts, is seeking market opportunities for its black tea in the world's most populous nation, Chairman of the Tea Board has said.

"Both our great nations share some common features like rich cultural heritage and the tradition of producing and drinking tea. While China produces world class green tea and India produces world class black tea," Basudeb Banerjee said at an 'India China Tea Symposium' held in the eastern Chinese metropolis, Shanghai.

"We would like to offer to them, through the importers, packers, distributors and retailers the wide range of Indian Black Tea," he said while making a presentation on the Indian Tea industry sketching out areas in which the Tea industry of both countries could collaborate.

The meeting was organised by the Consulate General of India in association with Tea Board of India and Tea Institute of Shanghai.

"The interaction was aimed at acquiring better understanding of business opportunities in both countries and forging new partnerships," official sources said.

In his opening address, Consulate General of India in Shanghai, Vishnu Prakash termed the initiative as timely and farsighted.

With rising affluence in both countries and a growing preference for health foods, consumption habits and preferences were undergoing a rapid change, he noted.