Domestic

Tea consumption per capita in India is almost stagnant at 750 grams per annum. Increased supply from small growers, stagnant exports, etc have made imbalance in the demand /supply equilibrium. While there is a need to boost exports, it has become imperative to look into the domestic consumption sector. There are many research findings clearly evidencing health properties of Tea.

To take forward the above mission, ITA in collaboration with the Tea Board of India conducted Tea and Health Meet involving eminent Doctors, Researchers and Health Care Professionals in New Delhi in July 2001.

This ‘Tea and Health Meet’ was attended by distinguished Researchers such as Dr. John Weisburger, Emeritus Scientist, American Health Foundation, Dr. N.K. Ganguly, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research and Dr. Naresh Trehan, Chief Cardiologist of the Escorts Health & Research Centre, etc. This was followed by extensive generic promotion campaign in the print media by ITA for next two years.

Tea Board initiated a print & electronic media promotion campaign in 2005. After this, for a long time there was no attempt for any generic promotion campaign in the domestic market due to paucity of fund.

In the year 2012, ITA strongly felt the necessity of increase consumption to get over long recession witnessed during 1999 to 2008. ITA National Committee & Market Promotion Sub Committee continuously deliberated on the issue and conceptualized Road Shows. In the year 2012 & 2013 ITA members alongwith Auctioneers extensively toured India and interacted with the regional traders & packeters . In 2014 Road Show culminated into India’s 1st ever Tea Carnival B2C Road Show “Chai Ho JayeTM” through Schools, Residences and Malls.

Finally it was felt that there is a need to target youth .Currently 50% (around 250 million) of youth in the age group 17 -24 years drink less than one cup tea a day. In next ten years 65% of the total population will be below the age of 35 years.

Considering above, ITA’s journey started through B2Y to participate at college fests through innovative way of presenting tea in new formats – Cold & flavoured.

ITA has taken up this exercise to Tea Board and Ministry of Commerce and stressed that unless more initiative is taken up demand of tea will not increase and there is least possibility of the industry to position itself in a growth path.