Indian northeast state of Tripura is planning to export tea to Bangladesh through participating in the auction at Sreemangal in Sylhet, according to a report published in an Indian daily on Tuesday.
The export prospect has brightened with Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb having taken up the issue with Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu, the Business Standard reported, quoting Chairman of Tripura Tea Development Corporation Ltd (TTDC) Santosh Saha.
He said the chief minister of Tripura had talks with the Union minister on the Tripura government's plan to export tea through a tea auction centre at Sreemangal, which is only 5 km from Kailashahar in Unakoti district of Tripura.
The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has also taken up the matter with Bangladesh government, he added.
"I was told that after Bangladesh's general election, the issue of exporting Tripura's tea to the neighbouring country will take shape through discussion. And we are hopeful that something positive will come out," Mr. Saha was quoted as saying.
The TTDC chairman said Bangladesh imports huge quantity of tea from foreign nations, except India.
He said the new BJP-IPFT government in Tripura was serious to herald good days for the tea industry by encouraging green tea cultivation.
Currently, the state produces 9.0 million kg of tea, mainly of the CTC variety (black tea).
"Green tea production has already begun in some tea estates of the state. We want to expand it in more tea gardens, but it is a time consuming process. But, it will be done in phases", he told the Indian media.
To a query on branding of tea produced in the state, Mr. Saha said logo for Tripura is under consideration of the Tea Board of India (TBI) and it will be cleared within the next couple of days.
The TTDC chairman admitted that absence of a logo of Tripura tea is a serious problem for the tea growers to market their produce at a reasonable price.
"It is very tough to transport finished tea to Siliguri or Kolkata tea auction markets. Once a logo is allotted, this problem will be solved," he said.
The TTDC, he continued, plans to open a tea corner in the capital town next month for display and sale of tea produced in the state.
