Ramesh advocates regulatory regime for tea exports

KOLKATA: A regulatory framework is needed to maintain the quality and quantity of tea exports, Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said on Monday.

Speaking at the annual general meeting of Calcutta Tea Traders Association on Monday, Ramesh said it had come to his notice that some of the exporters, both in public and private sectors, had shipped lesser quantity and sub-standard quality of tea to Iraq.

This was totally unacceptable and undesirable for which the Tea Board had been asked to showcause the exporters, he said, adding that these acts would bring down the image of Indian tea globally and consequently, the country might stand to lose the export market.

In this context, he said, some regulatory framework should be put in place so that these incidents do not repeat.

The Minister's contention was contradicted by Calcutta Tea Traders Association Vice-Chairman Gopal Poddar, saying that the exporters were not getting payments from importers in Iraq.

"It is becoming very difficult to get payments even after 12 or 15 months have passed after shipment," Poddar said.

He alleged that the price quoted by Iraqi importers for India