Kochi (PTI): Egypt is likely to import about 20,000 tonnes of tea from India this year, about 70 per cent increase from the previous year.
Last year, Egypt imported about 12,000 tonnes from India. With India reducing import duty from 4 per cent to 2 per cent, tea exports from the country has gone up, Shawky Dlama, Chief of Import sector and board member El Nasr Export & Import company told reporters on the sidelines of the India International Tea Convention here.
Egypt is importing from Kenya also, Dlama, who is leading a 10-member delegation to India, said. The delegation would be visiting South Indian and North Indian tea plantations.
India is also planning to open a representative office in Egypt soon.
In a presentation at the convention, Mohamed Heiza, Tea Consultant, said Tea is considered as one of the main strategic foodstuff commodities to Eygptians at all levels.
The average per capital consumption is 75,000 to 78,000 tonnes a year. Egyptian government alone imports 20,000-25,000 tonnes for ration card consumers from Kenya. The private sector imports 53,000 to55,000 tonnes.
Egypt imports pre-packed tea from Sri Lankan, UK and India and there was demand for fancy, high quality and speciality teas. Green tea, in a limited quantity, is also imported and some quantity is re-exported to Libya.
Following drought, Kenyan tea production has taken a hit with production down by about 30,000 tonnes. The total average production is about 370,000 tonne and Kenya has no plans to increase production during 2009-10, Dunstan M NGUNO, Chairman Tea Board of Kenya said.
Kenya is also likely to scale down its exports to Pakistan, due to the unfavourable conditions prevailing in that country, he said.
Source : The Hindu