Vice President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed the Centenary Conference of the UPASI Tea Research Foundation in Coonoor, The Nilgiris, calling for comprehensive modernization of India's tea industry. He emphasized that India is among the world's largest tea-producing and tea-consuming countries but needs to focus on both cultivation and efficient processing to remain globally competitive.
The Vice President called for expanding research in the tea sector, particularly in areas that can improve cost-effectiveness, quality, and productivity. He noted the global tea market is becoming increasingly competitive and urged stakeholders to examine how Indian tea can be marketed more effectively to improve revenues. He specifically highlighted competition from other tea-producing countries and the need to address challenges faced by the plantation sector through sustained research and innovation.
Radhakrishnan urged stakeholders to undertake a systematic assessment of tea industry requirements and work with Central and State Governments to develop concrete project proposals. He stressed the need to identify professionals for research, modernize tea factories, and undertake necessary renovation to ensure Indian tea production meets global standards. The Vice President specifically called for moving beyond bulk tea exports and developing strong Indian brands for global markets, noting his observation of limited Indian brand visibility during international travels.
Highlighting the important role of plantation workers, the Vice President called for greater attention to their welfare, emphasizing that "industry welfare and workers' welfare must go hand in hand" as an integral part of industry growth and sustainability. He also stressed the importance of value addition in tea and called upon leading stakeholders to work together to identify new products, processes, and market opportunities.
The Vice President pointed out that India has the advantage of being both a major producer and consumer of tea and urged the industry to make greater use of its large domestic market. He suggested the current environment provides an opportunity for stakeholders to work closely with the Government to strengthen the tea sector. During the event, the Vice President released the book "Tea Research in South India – A Compendium" documenting the rich legacy and contributions of tea research in southern India.
The conference brought together stakeholders from the tea and plantation sector, including planters, researchers, industry representatives, and dignitaries including the Governor of Tamil Nadu Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, MLA Udhagamandalam Shri Bhojarajan, Deputy Chairman of the Tea Board of India Shri C. Murugan, and UPASI President Shri Ajoy Thipaiah.