Guwahati, Dec 17 NNN : Tea industry is doing a roaring business and in the next three years time the industry\u2019s turn-over will be almost double the present income.
\nOn Saturday, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) said the total turnover of India\u2019s tea industry is likely to be Rs 33,000 crore by 2015 from the current level of about Rs 19,500 crore. Assocham is the apex industry body and today\u2019s revelation was based on its study.
\nWith nearly 600,000 hectares under tea cultivation, the domestic tea industry is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 15 per cent, according to the study titled \u2018Indian Tea Industry\u2019.
\nAssocham general secretary DS Rawat while releasing a booklet containing the findings of the study said, \u201cIndia is world\u2019s largest consumer, second largest producer and fourth largest exporter of tea after China and accounts for nearly 30 per cent of global output and nearly 25 per cent of tea produced worldwide is consumed in India.\u201d \u201cBranded market accounts for nearly 55 per cent of the total market and is growing at about 20 per cent while the unbranded market is growing at 10 per cent annually,\u201d DS Rawat added.
\nAbout 35 lakh workers are employed in over 1,500 tea estates across India and about 65 per cent of these are employed indirectly. Assam produces more than half of India\u2019s tea and accounts for more than 12 per cent of annual global tea yield, Assocham said.
\nNearly 90 per cent of Indian households are regular tea drinker, the beverage being cheap, affordable and addictive. According to an Assocham estimate the tea production during the current year is likely to stay over 950million kg as against 966.4 million kg in 2010.
\n\u201cAwareness about health benefits associated with moderate intake of tea is another significant factor behind this upsurge in its demand as now more and more people are familiar with healing properties of tea,\u201d Rawat said. \u201cIt not only helps combat heart related ailments but also helps lower cholesterol, protects skin, keeps cancer at bay, strengthens bones and teeth and contains no calories, fat and salt.\u201d
\nHistorically regarded as a hot beverage, the penetration of tea in the non-alcoholic cold beverage segment is another driving force for this industry owing to the rising affinity towards ice-tea which currently accounts for over five per cent of entire non-alcoholic beverage market in India, Assocham said.<\/p>\n\n