INDIA INTERNATIONAL TEA CONVENTION

INAUGURATION
At a time when the country's tea industry remains hurled into a very deep-and-continuous depression, when the industry is desperately grappling to find out an exit route from this ominous crisis, what could be more apt now than an international tea convention.
Kolkata, the City of Joy which smiles at life's ups and downs over "ek cup garam cha" — a favourite remedy for its people to tide over their daily trials and tribulations, invited the global tea fraternity to explore India, the world's largest producer of the brew with its world famous Darjeelings, Nilgiris, Assams… The city set up a unique interactive opportunity for domestic and international producers, exporters, blenders, distributors, packaging companies, equipment companies, suppliers, trade associations and those directly or indirectly involved with the industry.
India International Tea Convention, 2003 was the name of the magnificent show jointly organised by the Tea Board of India, Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) and the Indian Merchant Tea Exporters' Forum (IMTEF). The three-day (March 6-8, 2003) event was the industry's dream come true — a perfect setting with an all-star gathering of tea bigwigs from all the major tea producing countries. The message preached: India, where the God gifted beverage is a way of life, is a 'One Stop Shop' for quality tea.

The Chief Guest Mr. L. V. Saptharishi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, lit the traditional diya and inaugurated the convention. He was accompanied on the dais by Tea Board of India Chairman Mr. N. K. Das, the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the India International
Tea Convention 2003, ITA and CCPA, Mr. Bharat Bajoria and the Chairman of the Indian Merchant Tea Exporters Forum, Mr. Anshuman Kanoria.
Extending a warm welcoming to the guests, Mr. Bajoria spelled out the aim of the convention saying: "The India International Tea Convention 2003 bears the imprint of partnership and co-operation among tea exporters as a whole. Be it direct garden exports with distinctive seasonal characteristics or the intricately blended teas that are drawn from the vast array that is on view at our tea auctions, the Indian tea export sector is serviced by committed professionals.
"Tea Convention 2003 marks a significant departure from those held in India in the past. This convention focuses exclusively on Indian tea exports in a one-to-one context of the requirements and preferences of the markets, which absorb our teas."

He further said: "For one, the underlying theme of this Convention is marketing. The tea industry – and I speak for the generality of experience worldwide – has been historically tucked away in relatively remote stretches of land not affording ready or easy contact with its ultimate customer base. Tea producers across the world are fast realising the urgency of building stronger and direct links with their customers. This Convention seeks