The group, which has a number of tea, jute, textiles, ceramics and food processing units, has recently surveyed and assessed the Indian market, especially the eastern part, said Ispahani group general manager Yousuf Quadery.He said that the survey points to a huge market prospect for Ispahani's goods. Ispahani group chairman Sadri Ispahani spent his childhood in Calcutta, where he was also educated, so India has a special place in his plans.

Initially, the group wants to launch its brand of packet tea, giving contract jobs to units near Calcutta that are owned by Indian outfits. The group's survey has shown that there are a large number of big godowns in and around south-western Calcutta that are fully equipped with the latest machinery for blending, packaging and printing.

"What we will do is supply Indian and Bangladeshi teas to the godown owners, advise them on the proportion of blending, and market the packeted teas under the Ispahani brand," Quadery said.

According to Quadery, the group is aiming for sales of 1.5 million kg of packet tea in India in the first year. "We also have a plan to re-export the Bangladesh-India blended tea to Bangladesh, West Asia and other tea drinking countries," he said.

The group has a long tradition in tea blending and trading, and controls 75 per cent of the market in Bangladesh. The tea business fetches it a turnover of Taka 750 crore a year.

Quadery said its competitors in Bangladesh are global players like Lever Brothers, Finlays, and Shaw Wallace.

For the Indian market, the group plans to introduce potato chips with prawn, chicken and cheese flavours. The survey revealed that there is enormous demand for this item in Calcutta and surroundings, Quadery said.

"In the first phase, we shall sell imported Bangladeshi chips in the local markets. Later, we shall set up our own production unit here," Quadery said.