Dubai: The West Asia-North Africa region, of which Dubai is an important hub, is a major market for Indian tea, a senior Indian Tea Board official has said.

At the 2nd Global Dubai Tea Forum being held here, Priya Kumar, Director of Tea Promotion, Dubai office of Tea Board of India, said more than 35 per cent of India s total tea exports are to this region.

"We are now looking towards promoting the higher-end and value-added teas in this market. We feel that the Global Dubai Tea Forum is the apt platform for the same as a cross-section of the global tea trade would be present here," she said.

"Two special events are being organized by the Tea Board of India, along with the Darjeeling Tea Association and the United Planters Association of Southern India, to familiarise the traders and consumers with the quality attributes of some of our best teas from Darjeeling and South India," she added.

Kumar also said: "We also propose to make available to the consumer some of the best brands of Darjeeling tea through an in-store promotion to be held in Dubai in March 2008."

Representatives from various tea producing and consuming nations are participating in the forum, which is being organised by the Dubai Tea Trading Centre, an initiative of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).

Source : PTI