Embassy of India
Beijing
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Press Release
Brewing Tea Bonding Relation: Promotion of Indian Tea in China
1. Embassy of India in Beijing, in partnership with China Tea Marketing Association (CTMA) and Tea Board of India organised business interaction and tea appreciation events on 24-25 October 2018 to promote Indian tea in China. A 45-member Indian tea exporters' delegation led by Mr Arun Kumar Ray, Deputy Chairman Tea Board of India visited Xiamen (participated in Xiamen International Tea Fair) and Beijing and had interaction with officials of CTMA, China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce (CFNA) and Chinese tea importers to discuss cooperation possibilities for export of Indian tea to China. A buyer-seller meet and a tea appreciation seminar was organised on 24 October. More than 150 Chinese tea importers have participated in the BSM and the tea appreciation event.
2. Mr Prashant Lokhande, Counsellor (Economic and Commerce) delivered welcome remarks. Delivering the special remarks, Mr Gautam Bambawale, Ambassador of India to China mentioned that Indian and China are world's largest tea producers and there is immense potential of tea trade. He mentioned that while liking for black tea is rising in China, green and herbal tea is getting popular in India. There are immense trade complementarities between India and China - India is one of the largest producer of black tea whereas China is the largest producer of green and herbal tea. Mr Wang Qing, President of CTMA mentioned that Chinese people like variety of tea and premium Indian teas such as Darjeeling tea is liked by the Chinese people. Mr Arun Kumar Ray, Dy Chairman of Tea Board gave an overview of Indian tea sector. He mentioned that currently China is 10th largest export destination for Indian tea (8.5 million KG) but projected to make China the 5th largest export market for Indian tea.
3. During the seminar, 5 kinds of Indian teas - Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri, Sikkim and Masala tea were served to the audience, while Ms Nandini Datta of Tea Board made a presentation on different varieties of Indian tea elaborating their properties, characteristics, flavours etc. Mr Xiao Juan, Managing Director of Beijing Dongli International Tea Company shared her experience of selling Indian tea in China and how Chinese people appreciate Indian tea.
4. In the morning of 25 October, with support of Embassy’s ladies club, a public event was organised around the theme of Indian tea and culture in Maliandao Work Station, Maliandao Tea Street, Xicheng district of Beijing. While Indian exporters introduced Indian tea to the visitors, visitors also enjoyed colors of Indian culture such as performance of Kathak dance, workshop on yoga, rangoli drawing, saree draping, henna painting, display of Indian music instruments, display of Indian books, distribution of Gandhi souvenirs, display of Indian cloths and ornaments and tasting of Indian snacks. About 250 people visited in the 2 and half hour duration event.
5. The Indian tea delegation also had meetings with officials of CTMA and CFNA and discussed possible steps for cooperation and increase of tea trade in future. The delegation also paid visit to tea museum in Beijing.
25 October, 2018
