VP Radhakrishnan Urges Modernisation, Branding Push for Indian Tea

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Monday inaugurated the Centenary Conference of the UPASI Tea Research Foundation at Coonoor in The Nilgiris, using the occasion to press for a broad upgrade of India's tea sector — from laboratory research to factory floors and global branding.

Addressing planters, researchers and industry representatives, the Vice-President noted that India ranks among the world's largest producers and consumers of tea, and said the country must focus equally on cultivation and on efficient processing and manufacturing. He called for expanded research aimed at improving cost-effectiveness, quality and productivity, and for planters to be educated on maintaining quality and adapting to shifting market demands.

With the global tea market growing more competitive, he said India needs to study how its tea can be marketed more effectively, raise revenues and address the plantation sector's challenges through sustained research and innovation. He urged stakeholders to carry out a systematic assessment of the industry's requirements and to work with the Central and State Governments on concrete project proposals, while identifying research professionals, modernising tea factories and undertaking renovation so that Indian production meets global standards.

The Vice-President also urged producers and exporters to look beyond bulk tea and build strong Indian brands. Recalling his travels abroad, he said he had seen a wide range of tea brands from other countries in international markets and stressed the need for greater visibility for Indian tea, suggesting that stakeholders unite to market it under strong brands that could improve positioning, revenues and prices.

He asked UPASI to mark its centenary year with a lasting institutional contribution by expanding the tea research network to more locations and equipping research centres with modern facilities, saying research must keep evolving to meet new challenges and opportunities.

Turning to labour, the Vice-President said plantation workers must receive greater attention and that their welfare should remain central to the industry's growth and sustainability. "Industry welfare and workers' welfare should go hand in hand," he said.

He underlined the importance of value addition and called on leading stakeholders to jointly identify new products, processes and market opportunities, pointing to India's dual advantage as a major producer and consumer and urging the industry to make fuller use of its large domestic market. The current environment, he added, offers an opportunity for stakeholders to work closely with the Government to strengthen the sector.

On the sidelines, the Vice-President released a book, "Tea Research in South India – A Compendium", documenting the legacy and contributions of tea research in southern India.

Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Udhagamandalam MLA Bhojarajan, Tea Board of India Deputy Chairman C. Murugan, UPASI President Ajoy Thipaiah and other dignitaries, planters, agricultural scientists and industry representatives attended the conference, which was convened to deliberate on the future of tea research and the plantation industry.