Assam: Guwahati to host UN meeting on tea in November

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Assam’s capital, which has hosted many big events in the recent past, will be the venue of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Intergovernmental Group’s meeting.

The FAO Intergovernmental Group (IGG) on Tea represents a forum for intergovernmental consultation and exchange on trends in production, consumption, trade and prices of tea, including a regular appraisal of the global market situation and short-term outlook.

FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.

The meeting will be held from November 22 to 24.

Assam, known the world over for its tea, contributes around 12 per cent of world tea production. Assam is the single largest tea-growing region in the world and its low altitude, rich loamy soil conditions, ample rainfall and unique climate help it to produce some of the finest orthodox leaf teas.

Joydeep Phukan, the Focal Point for FAO IGG on Tea for India, said at the 23rd session of the FAO Intergovernmental group on tea held at Hangzhou, China it was proposed by India chaired by P K Bezboruah (the then Chairman Tea Board) to hold the 24th session in India.

However, due to the pandemic, the 24th session was held virtually from Rome in February 2022.

“In the 24th session, India expressed its desire to hold the 25th session of the FAO Intergovernmental group on tea physically in India. Piyush Goyal, Union Commerce Minister suggested that the 25th session should be held in Guwahati Assam to coincide with the 200 years of Assam tea. The Commerce Ministry has given the responsibility to organise the November event to the Tea Board of India and TRA Tocklai,” he told EastMojo.

He further said two International Tea Conferences are being planned along with the 25th session of the FAO IGG on Tea from 22-24th November at Radisson Blu, Guwahati. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was apprised of the 25th FAO IGG session during his visit to Tocklai on July 10.

India hosted the 19th session of the FAO IGG meet on tea at New Delhi along with the Tocklai Tea Centenary Conference. (EAST MOJO)