Guwahati, May 4: Come November and tea captains of the country will drink feni and talk tea.

Though it sounds surprising, it is likely to be the order of the day after Goa was chosen as the next venue for the India International Tea Convention. Feni is a Goanese spirit made from either coconut or juice of cashew apple.

The event organised by the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations, an apex body of tea producers’ groups, aims at reinforcing the salient and unique features of Indian tea varieties to buyers from across the globe.

The earlier conventions were held at Kochi (1999), Delhi (2000), Calcutta (2003), Guwahati (2007) and again in Kochi (2009).

“The event showcases Indian tea to the world and Goa is a perfect tourist destination for a lot of visitors. We, therefore, expect a lot of international tea buyers to come here,” Monojit Dasgupta, secretary-general, Indian Tea Association, told The Telegraph. Around 300 delegates are expected to attend the premier tea event.

A tea industry official said a lot of Russian and European tea buyers flock to Goa. According to Tea Board of India, exports to CIS countries from April to March (2010-11) from India is estimated to be 46.79 million kg, valued at Rs 579.06 crore.

Apart from business, the event provides a perfect setting for networking with friends, Dasgupta said. “There is a big choice of hotels here for holding the convention,” he said. “Discussions are still underway to fix the venue and there will be a theme. It could be something to do with health or yoga,” the secretary-general said.

The internal consumption of tea in 2010 was around 837 million kg as against 819 million kg in 2009 — an increase of 18 million kg. Tea consumption in western India is far above the national average.

Bidyanand Barkakoty, chairman of North Eastern Tea Association, said the choice was for a location in the west as the east, south and north India have been covered. “Goa is a perfect location for holding international conventions and the infrastructure is good. Apart from that, the connectivity is good. Western India is also a good market for quality tea,” he added.

The Planning Commission working group on horticulture and plantation crops for the 12th Plan has said that the focus of the tea industry should be on domestic marketing. “This will also pave the way for creating good infrastructure for blending and packaging conforming to international standards. There is also a need to set up tea boutiques in India and overseas. Further, brand promotion of Indian tea in identified markets with adequate fund provision needs to be taken up during the 12th Plan,” the working group has said.

The Tea Board also organises several promotional activities for improving domestic consumption of tea. They are mainly aimed at the youth, projecting tea as a lifestyle beverage and at housewives, propagating the health benefits of tea.