Lanka, Vietnam seek greater bilateral trade in tea, coffee sectors

Today, there is a need for India and Vietnam to join hands and increase trade between the two countries in the fast growing tea and coffee sectors, Vietnam’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam told reporters after inaugurating “3rd World Tea & Coffee Expo 2015” here.

Vietnam is a leading tea producer in Asia and exporting their product to Europe and Africa.

Business delegation

The Vietnamese tea industry has both large-scale companies and approximately 60 per cent of the tea produced in Vietnam is cut-tear-curl black tea, 35 per cent is green, and 5 per cent is other speciality varieties such as lotus or jasmine tea. In view of the tremendous scope in these sectors, we have come with a business delegation of 20 leading companies from Vietnam to be part this niche expo which offers a unique networking platform with Indian and international companies in the hot beverage sector, Tam said.

Step in right direction

Echoing similar sentiments, Saroja Sirisena, Consul General of Sri Lanka said, India and Sri Lanka can combine their natural advantages to increase their share in the world tea markets. Several leading tea companies from Sri Lanka’s presence at the expo is a step in the right direction.”

Today, India produces 1000 million kg of tea and exports around 200 million kg, while the rest is consumed in the country. India’s per capita consumption of tea is 600 grams per person per day, Sentinel Exhibitions Asia Director, Priti M Kapadia said.

Similarly, the country produces 4 lakh tonnes of coffee and exports 3 lakh tonnes in the overseas markets, Kapadia said.

Ready-to-drink market

Internationally, the ready-to-drink tea and coffee market is growing annually at 11 per cent and likely to touch $125 billion by 2017 with the highest growth coming from the Asia-Pacific region, she said.

The three-day trade fair is India’s only International show dedicated to the tea and coffee sectors and provides the perfect environment for the hot beverage industry to meet face-to-face and develop real business opportunities, a statement issued here said.

“The expo will emphasise the prospects of the hot beverage sector by showcasing exotic products and technological innovations in this important sector,” Kapadia said.