‘Need for planters in South India to innovate to add value to their products’

Better branding of tea and coffee products from Southern India could help enhance economic value of the commodities, said M.V. Rajeev Gowda, Vice-Chairman of the State Institute for Transformation of Karnataka (SITK) in Coonoor on Thursday.

Mr. Gowda, who was the chief guest at the inauguration of the 130^th United Planters’ Association of South India’s (UPASI) annual conference, said that establishing the brand “in the minds of the consumer enhances the experience” which in turn leads consumers to pay more for the commodities they consume.

Speaking about how Colombian coffee was branded and sold throughout the world, Mr. Gowda said that they used the character of Juan Valdez on his mule, to market and carve a niche for Colombian coffee in the world market.