The tea industry is expecting to achieve an export target of 230 million kg (mkg) during the current financial year.
In the last fiscal, 220. 46 mkg of tea were exported against 214.35 mkg in 2011-12.
The quantum of teas exported in 2012-13 was 6.11 mkg more than the 2011-12 volume of 214.35 mkg. Iran is a major buyer of teas produced in India. Exports to Iran in 2011 were 11 mkg. It touched 17 mkg last year.
Tea Board Chairman M.G.V.K. Bhanu is confident of crossing the 20-mkg mark this year.
Orthodox tea exports are also expected to go up, he said and added that he was referring only to quantity and did not mean in value terms.
“Our strategy for exports will be further strengthened to ensure that the performance on the export front is laudable,” he said. The Tea Board Chief, however, said that the Board would encourage export of high quality, value-added teas. “We have identified five focus markets such as Kazhakstan, Iran, Egypt, the US and Russia.
“A number of initiatives have been taken towards strengthening our stand in these markets and we have achieved tremendous success,” he said. “We could not achieve success in branding of Indian teas though. We export in bulk,” he added.
The Board is now in talks with the various stakeholders of the tea industry for branding of Indian teas.
“We need a brand identity for Indian teas,” he said.
revathy.lakshminarasimhan@thehindu.co.in