Russia has agreed to lift 50 million kgs of tea from India during the first quarter of 2001 itself, Tea Board said today.

The agreement was reached during a two-day visit of the Indian government delegation to Moscow starting on Dece-mber 20 2000 to attend the second meeting of the Indo-Russian sub-group on agriculture, Tea Board said in a release.

A protocol was also signed in Moscow between the two sides wherein the Indian delegation pointed out that tea price in India is very competitive and impressed on the Russian side for lifting 50 million kgs of tea during the first quarter of 2001, the release said.

The Russian side not only agreed to fulfill the annual import target of 100,000 tonne in the year 2001, but would also lift 50,000 tonne in the first three months of the year, it added.

A special allocation through the rupee debt repayment route would be made by the Russian government, so that this purchase could be effected, the release said.

The Indian delegation expressed concern on wrong labelling of packets in Russia containing blends of teas from other countries as Indian tea and requested the intervention of the Russian side to prevent such practices.

The Russian side agreed to study this matter with reference to existing legislation, the release said. The Indian delegation was led by joint secretary of ministry of agriculture B K Chauhan and deputy chairman of Tea Board B Banerjee.

(03/01/2001) (03/01/2001)

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