Tea Board of India VOL. 1 April to September 2010 Under Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt of India BULLETIN OF TEA BOARD OF INDIA Bulletin Board From the From the Chairman’s desk Infini-tea 2010 (p-2) Chairman's desk E-Auction (p-3) sensing and GIS, R&D for improved processing machinery are beginning to SPTF Scheme (p-5) bear fruit. Dear Friends Some of our major achievements: Report of the FAO-IGG (p-6) As I pen this on the eve of the completion • Tea sold through e-auction has crossed the 300 m kg mark. GIS/ Remote of my five year tenure as Chairman, we are into the last quarter of 2010. The • Reform of the auction system. Sensing Mapping (p-8) year 2010 opened with some hope for • Special Purpose Tea Fund : 20,000 ha the tea sector since primary prices had Organic Tea replanted since 2007. revived to new highs in 2009. However, • Incentives for the small growers and Development Project (p-8) the year has brought mixed fortunes opening of new offices of the Tea with the weather and pest attacks in Board in the areas of small growers' Darjeeling Tea Protected as North India causing production to fall concentration namely Dibrugarh Geographical Indication (p-10) in critical periods. and Jalpaiguri. The year 2010 will also be remembered Exhibitions & Events (p-11) • Reopening of 27 out of the 35 tea as the year when all six major auction gardens that were closed in 2007. centres in India, including Siliguri Tea Research (p-12) progressing to a modern electronic • Creation of enhanced infrastructure mode. The economic downturn has also for Tea Research, Training and Productions & Exports (p-13) eased and the buoyant domestic market quality laboratories. in India has contributed immensely to • Hosting of the 19th session of FAO- the improving health of the industry. Intergovernmental Group on Tea in Like the proverbial tea kettle which is Delhi in May 2010. always up to its neck in hot water, yet • Launching of an organic tea it still sings, the industry has today the development project with support confidence to invest in its long-term from CFC-Common fund for sustainability. I am happy to observe that commodities, FAO and IFOAM. we have doubled the rate of uprooting • Launching of a pilot project for and replanting since the introduction of looking at the scope for minimizing Tea sold the Special Purpose Tea Fund in 2007 the energy requirements in the tea and large number of factories have processing factories, with support upgraded their machinery and adopted through from UNDP-Global Environment quality certification systems. The Facility. industry has been accused in the past of E-auctions not investing in good years but I am We all have much to look forward to of the opinion that that attitude does in the immediate future as we not exist today. consolidate our gains and strive further has already for betterment. Not only have we renewed our pursuit with extra enthusiasm on quality Wishing you all the best ! crossed enhancement and value-addition measures, new endeavours like digital Basudeb Banerjee 300 million kgs. mapping of tea areas through remote Chairman Tea File BULLETIN OF TEA BOARD OF INDIA Infini-tea 2010 Tocklai Tea Centenary Conference Shri Anand Sharma, Hon'ble Minister of Commerce and Industry The Conference in progress inaugurating the conference The year 2010 marked the beginning of the • adaptation of tea to climate change on centenary years of Tocklai Experimental Station. global level In commemoration of its 100 years of service to the • strategies for safer tea tea industry, an international scientific conference • A consumer point of view on MRL's and safety was held in New Delhi on 10-11 May 2010. The • how regulators looks at the fixation of MRL's Conference was attended by around 423 delegates • sustainability of tea trough research from 21 countries. The Conference was inaugurated by Shri Anand Sharma, Hon'ble Minister of • sustainable agriculture Commerce and Industry. Shri Pradyut Bordoloi, • tea and health – health promoting effects of Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government tea drinking of Assam graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. • short and long term outlook of tea industry. The Hon'ble Minister, Commerce and Industry, Detailed papers can be downloaded from the website lauded the achievements of TRA and urged TRA www.tocklai.net to move forward in providing guidance in the The Plenary session of the conference was chaired by present circumstances where in competition from Dr Rahul Khullar, Commerce Secretary, Government other tea growing countries are intense. Over two of India. Dr Khullar stated that it is important to try out day period there were five sessions and important innovative models for the tea industry to sustain and themes deliberated include: progress. He felt that the research needs should be reviewed in terms of current needs of the consumer. • Securing Growing Environments Government of India has granted a sum of Rs. 20 • the medium and long term global crores towards commemoration of the centenary of agricultural markets the Tea Research Institute. 2 Tea File BULLETIN OF TEA BOARD OF INDIA Tea Sold Through E-auctions Crossed 300 Million Kgs. Shri Jairam Ramesh, Honourable Minister of State for Commerce, inaugurating the function. In 2008, Shri Jairam Ramesh the then Honourable and comfortable with the system. Moving from a Minister of State for Commerce, had inaugurated 148-year-old legacy of “open outcry” system to the introduction of E-auction system in Kolkata, a completely electronic platform was a sea change Siliguri, Guwahati, Coonoor, Coimbatore and for all the stakeholders in the tea industry. There Kochi. The E-auction application designed and was an initial reluctance and resistance from supported by NSE–IT has undergone many the users, but with time, they have accepted the enhancements with the Buyers and Auctioneers system in a positive manner and the results are demanding many more features as they get familiar here to see! Teas sold through Electronic Auction during 2009-10 & 2010-11 April 2009 to March 2010 April 2010 to September 2010 Quantity Average Price Quantity Average Price Auction centre (M.Kgs.) (Rs/kg) (M.Kgs.) (Rs/kg) Kolkata 29.88 122.99 46.43 128.98 Guwahati 56.74 109.08 50.27 119.16 Siliguri 4.12 102.45 18.17 106.02 Cochin 38.09 89.33 28.58 78.02 Coonoor 42.24 74.89 26.38 56.32 Coimbatore 22.74 78.52 11.06 59.34 Grand Total 193.81 96.16 180.89 101.04 3 Tea File BULLETIN OF TEA BOARD OF INDIA Current Status Auction centre Commencement and current status of e-auction Kolkata 100% live e-auction started for dust teas since 17th June, 2009. 100% e-auction for CTC Leaf teas since 3rd April 2010 ( Since sale no 14 of 2010 ). Guwahati 100% live e-auction started for dust teas since 20th May, 2009. 100% e-auction for Leaf teas since first week of January 2010. Siliguri Live e-auction with1000 Lots for CTC Leaf & 50% of the total lots of Dust teas since 16th April 2010. Live e-auction with1500 Lots for CTC Leaf since first week of July 2010. 100% Leaf and Dust auction from 8th October 2010. Coonoor 100% electronic auction for both leaf and dust teas since 7th May, 2009. Coimbatore 100% electronic auction for both leaf and dust teas since 8th May, 2009 Cochin 100% e-auction started for both 2leaf and dust teas since 14th July, 2009. Benefits of e-auction system • Direct participation by each auction stake holder. relevant information from manufacturers and • Facilities for multiple associate log-in (five user id warehouses. and password for each seller, buyer, auctioneer, • Facility for Manufacturers for uploading of tea auction organiser and warehouse). dispatch information on the E-platform directly in • Flexibility in setting up of auction sessions in any addition to viewing the auction prices during the auction day. Auction Session. • Parallel bidding. • Facility for Warehouses to upload AWR directly on the E-platform • Facility to create “My Catalogue” out of total catalogue by buyer and auctioneers. • Facility to view the auction prices by Auction Organiser and Tea Board during and after the • Facilities for Participation of Large number of Auction Session. buyers in the bidding process which is not possible in Manual auction due to limitation of auction • Facility for Auctioneers to view AWR Entry Form hall's space. and for its modifications, as and when required in addition to upload dispatch information & AWR, • Access from anywhere since Web based. if the same not uploaded by manufacturers and • Scope of sharing of any lot to the next warehouses. highest bidder . • Facility for Auction Organiser to assign Auction • Option of 'anonymity' of buyers during the Date/ Sale Date and to assign Lot Number to teas bidding process. by Auctioneers under Invoices within each AWR. • Option for Parallel Session for two type of tea • Facility for uploading the Buyer's Valuation, against the requirement of more than one Hall in Buyer's comments and Auto Bid Indicator in Manual auction. Buyer's ' My Catalogue'. • Dissemination of auction sale information quickly • Facility for submission of 'Auto Bid' by the buyers compared to Manual auction. which is only possible in e-auction system. • Reduction in transaction time and cost. • Facility for generating Tax Invoice & Delivery • Planning tool in the hands of buyers and Order after conclusion of sale. other stakeholders as bid history and analysis is • The major enhancement like Parallel Session for easily available. Leaf & Dust teas for Guwahati and Kolkata tea • Dynamic Knock down process as 'reserve price' auction centres.