JORHAT, Nov 22 (PTI): Former President APJ Abdul Kalam today called for redefining the tea industry with changing market dynamics, agro processing technologies and diversifying markets led by creative leaders.
Pointing out that he was very particular about his cup of tea which he always prepared himself, Kalam said, "We don't know how to market beautiful tea and its spin off products. The tea industry should be interested in marketing...it begins with how to prepare tea to get its unique colour and fragrance".
Addressing here the captains of the tea industry from across the country and abroad, Kalam said, "For success in all your missions you have to become creative leaders. Creative leadership means exercising the vision to change the traditional role from the commander to the coach, manager to mentor, from director to delegator and from one who demands respect to one who facilitates self-respect".
"For a prosperous and developed tea industry, the important thrust will be the availability of number of creative leaders who will integrate production, processing and marketing of tea", he said inaugurating the World Tea Science Congress as a part of the centenary celebration of the Tocklai Experimental Station (TES) here.
"At the Toklai tea tasting centre, I witnessed a number of tea products starting from tea candy, chewing tea tablet, tea toffee, black tea tablet, tea biscuit, tea drink", the eminent nuclear scientist said. "I also saw other variant products and different types of tea prepared for testing the taste of each variant. A great market potential exists for these tea products and their variants if they are commercialised, and created a brand for their global marketing in association with the interested private industries", the former President suggested.
