Tea sector urged to focus on innovation

Future of the Indian tea sector will be defined not by the volume of tea produced, but how innovative the sector will be, said Ajoy Thipaiah, chairman of the United Planters Association of South India (UPASI) and Managing Trustee of the UPASI Tea Research Foundation (TRF), on Tuesday.

At the valedictory of the centenary conference of the UPASI TRF, he said the sessions held on Tuesday as part of the conference were on four major themes – science, technology, sustainability, and collaborations. No single institution or stakeholder can address the challenges in the tea sector alone in the future. There should be stronger partnerships among the industry, policy makers, researchers, growers, and technology producers. The next 100 years of tea will depend on the commitment of all the stakeholders, he added.