The Chinese delegation at an audio-video presentation in a city hotel. Picture by Diptendu Dutta

Siliguri, March 2: A 13-member team of tea entrepreneurs from China arrived here today to explore the various facets of the Indian tea industry and study the possibilities of expanding trade between the two countries.

All of them are members of China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products (CFNA), and are here at the invitation of Lochan Tea. The Siliguri-based company is looking to penetrate the huge Chinese black tea market dominated by tea-producing nations like Sri Lanka, Kenya, Taiwan and Myanmar.

India?s share in the import segment of China is a mere three per cent at the moment.

?In 2004, China imported 1.98 million kg of tea, but direct tea import from India was negligible. We must push Indian tea in China,? said Rajiv Lochan, chief executive officer of Lochan Tea. ?Indian exporters will be better off targeting the upper middle class urban consumers with purchasing power, who are open to trying out new products.?

The Chinese team agreed that there is a vast potential for importing Darjeeling, Assam orthodox and CTC tea to their country. ?If we can succeed in making 1.3 billion Chinese people drink a cup of Indian tea every day, we can change the face of the Indian tea industry,? said Huang Hanqing, the leader of the delegation.

Hanqing is also the chairman of the supervisory board of China Chamber of Commerce of Tea of CFNA.

But for that to happen, Lochan averred, Indian tea exporters will have to make a strong effort to develop a market for black tea in China. Quoting official figures, he said: ?China is now the world?s most rapidly expanding consumption market for black tea and coffee. In 2004, import value of these two beverages touched $22 million, an increase of 150 per cent from 2002.?

The Chinese delegation attended an interactive session organised by the north Bengal zonal office of the Confederation of Indian Industry. They will leave for Darjeeling tomorrow, to interacting separately with members of the Darjeeling Planters? Association and Tea Board officials. On their way back on March 4, the Chinese delegation will halt in Calcutta where they are scheduled to meet Indian tea exporters.

The Chinese team comprises senior executives from companies like Shanghai Tea Import and Export Corporation, Beijing Wuyutai Tea Company, Zhejiang Baona Tea Enterprise, China Tea Company and Hunan Tea.