Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday said his government has initiated a process to set up a tea auction centre in the state and wants to help the industry flourish as it generates employment opportunities rapidly.
Launching 'Tripureswari premium tea' for retail markets, he said the state produces 10 per cent of the country's total tea production annually.
"I will sit with my officials on how to push the plan for setting up a tea auction centre here. We will do it at the earliest," the CM said, adding the state is also trying to export finished tea to neighbouring Bangladesh.
He said the state government will continue to support Tripura Tea Development Corporation (TTDC) for the overall improvement of the sector, including welfare of the people associated with it.
TTDC Chairman Santosh Saha said Rare Planet Handicrafts, a major retailer at various airports in the country, has expressed its desire to promote newly launched tea from the state, particularly organic variety.
The retailer has a presence in 25 airports across the country, he said."We are ready to lend a helping hand to the retailer to promote our products in 25 airports of the country," he said.
Tripura produces 9-10 lakh kg of tea annually and planters are now focusing on organic variety to get a better price, the official said. Rare Planet Handicrafts Director Ranodeep Saha also said most of the organic tea produced in the country goes abroad, leaving almost nothing for the domestic players.
"We want to promote Tripura's organic tea but it must be duly certified by the competent authority. Organic tea has great demand in airports like Mumbai, Goa and Bangalore. "Our company will explore the possibility of selling Tripura's organic tea in these airports," he said.
Maharaja Bir Bikram airport here will have an outlet of the private firm by the next month, the official added.
(With PTI Inputs)
