Guwahati: Coinciding with 200 years of Assam tea celebrations, the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre has planned to organise year-long programmes to celebrate 200 years of Assam tea. Speaking to ANI, Guwahati Tea Auction Buyer's Association (GTABA) secretary Dinesh Bihani said, "Our programmes will start from May this year and we will organize programmes in every month. This year marks 200 years of the Assam tea industry. The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre has planned to celebrate it and we are planning to organize several programmes."
Bihani further said the GTABA will invite the officials of tea auction centres in various parts of the world and will felicitate the distinguished personalities of the tea industry. "The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre got full cooperation from the Assam government. We will promote Assam tea across the country. We are planning to organize a seminar to hold in October-November this year and we will invite buyers, sellers, tea tasters and all stakeholders across the world where climate change and its impact on the tea industry will be discussed. Our main aim is to bring back the glory of Assam tea in the entire world," Bihani said.
GTABA secretary also said in the last 10-12 years, tea export has decreased, but gradually the industry is going to achieve its previous glory. "We are inviting tourists to take the taste of Assam tea. We are planning to organize programmes and install stalls in major cities of the country to promote Assam tea. We will also hold a tasting session of Assam tea. The tea consumption in our country is very low and we want to increase the tea consumption," Bihani said.
India is the world's largest tea-consuming nation, but the per capita consumption of tea remains a modest 750 grams per person every year compared to other countries, he said.
On the other hand, to celebrate 200 years of Assam tea, the Assam government announced to organize road shows in major cities across the country as well as abroad to promote Assam Tea as a brand. In the state budget for the financial year 2023-24, state Finance Minister Ajanta Neog said that the State government wishes to celebrate 200 years of Assam tea in a grand manner.
"We propose to organize road shows in major cities across the country as well as abroad to promote Assam Tea as a brand and showcase the rich socio-cultural heritage of tea garden communities. For nearly two centuries, the tea sector has been the backbone of our economy. Needless to add Tea Industry is also extremely important from the employment generation perspective. A substantial part of our populace depends on tea. Even today, tea constitutes close to 90 per cent of our exports," Neog said.
Assam produces about 700 million kg of tea annually and accounts for around half of India's overall tea production. The state also generates annual foreign exchange earnings in thousands of crores.
Meanwhile, Assam kickstarted a year-long celebration of its tea industry reaching a crucial milestone of 200 years. Tea bushes were first discovered in the state way back in 1823.
Renowned globally for its richly coloured and aromatic tea, Assam's tea industry, which is the country's largest, provides livelihoods to millions with many others directly or indirectly dependent on the plantations. The state is famed for both Orthodox and the CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) varieties of tea.
For nearly two centuries, the tea sector has been the backbone of the state's economy and employment generation point of view, as a substantial part of its populace depends on tea. Tea constitutes close to 90 per cent of the state's exports. (ANI)
