Included in the list of new territories that will be tapped are Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka among others. "A delegation from the association will soon visit major tea consuming states in the next three months", said Upasi president E K Joseph. Speaking to The Financial Express Joseph said: "There is a need to market our teas in northern parts of the country, and the huge domestic market has always been underestimated and untapped".

Further, there are many myths and some genuine concerns about quality aspects of our tea which need to be removed, Joseph said adding "we will carry samples along with us. Some marketing has to be done within the country, similar to the efforts made on export front". According to Upasi Tea Committee chairman N Dharmaraj, "We are usually considered poor cousins of North India teas. The teas grown here can easily surpass Cachars and Dooars and match Assams. The higher historic input cost made it a volume game and everybody had a quantity-oriented management. Now things are changing. The entry of teas from across the globe would make things worse if we leave our own markets untapped. All efforts will be taken to make inroads into some of the major tea consuming markets."

Industry estimates project Gujarat's per capita consumption of tea the second highest in the country at 1,190 gm, next to that of Punjab, and total tea consumption at 56 million kg. Tea consumption in Maharashtra & Goa is estimated to be the highest in the country at around 101 million kg (per capita consumption being 1040 million kg). Consumption of loose tea in Maharashtra & Goa is estimated at around 61 million kg, that in Gujarat at 42 million kg and Andhra Pradesh consumes 40 million kg in loose form. Both Odhavji Bhai Patel (from Gujarat) and Ghiyasuddhin (from AP) said South Indian teas will sell in their respective states only if quality improves.

"The AP market which was ruled by South teas switched over to Assam teas in a big way following the increase in prices three years back. There was much better teas available at lower prices. The adulteration in the commodity was on the rise," Ghiyasuddhin said.

South tea output lower
Tea production in south India for the month of September this year is down by 3.05 million kg compared to September 1999. According to industry information, production for the month this year stood at 17.28 million kg compared to 20.33 million kg recorded in September '99.

Tamil Nadu, the major tea producing state in the South, reported a marginally higher production at 11.90 million kg (11.39 million kg) following increased production in Nilgiris district. Nilgiris has reported a production of 7.67 million kg this September against 4.68 million kg of '99 September.

Tea production reports from Kerala and Karnataka are not encouraging as output in Kerala fell from 8.27 million kg to 5.08 million kg for the same month under review while in Karnataka production slipped to 0.29 million kg (0.66 million kg) this September. Cumulative production for the first nine months of the current calendar, despite the September fall, is still higher by 7.91 million kg compared to that achieved during the January-September '99 period. The cumulative production is at 147.12 million kg this year against 139.21 million kg achieved during the January-September '99 period.