Major tea producing Countries have come forward in setting up of a Forum for the producers to interact more closely with each other on matters of common interests. The forum would also articulate and facilitate the implementation of decisions emanating from Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/ Inter Governmental Groups (IGG) on Tea Meetings. The Forum would promote collaboration and networking between producers particularly in respect to research and technology development, generic promotion of tea etc. The objectives of the Forum are as under:
¢ Promote the interests of tea producer countries;
¢ Deliberate and evolve collective solutions on common problems affecting producers;
¢ Provide technical cooperation, sharing of technology and expertise by member countries;
¢ Stimulate demand for tea by promoting consumption of tea through facilitating and execution of generic promotional campaigns, raising awareness with a view to popularizing and positioning tea as the most preferred beverage across the globe; as well as other usages.
¢ To undertake market studies, surveys, research projects aimed at addressing any specific issues concerning tea in general or any variety of tea, including but not limited to identifying tea consumption patterns and assessing consumer preferences across continents and countries and disseminating the results of such studies and surveys for the benefit of all members; and
¢ To undertake and facilitate programmes for providing training to members or their executives in various aspects of marketing of tea in different geographical segments.
A meeting of the tea producing countries was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 21st and 22nd January, 2013. India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Malawi, Indonesia, Rwanda, Iran and China participated in the said meeting.
During the meeting, the draft Constitution of the International Tea Producers™ Forum was discussed in detail and it was signed by all participating members. At the end of the meeting a Joint Communiqué was issued to uphold the objectives of the Forum.
The Government has initiated process to ratify the draft constitution of ITPF adopted in the aforesaid meeting.
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