Business - Made in India,Branded in Pakistan

Call it the Kyber Pass effect. Now, tea produced in South India is being branded in Pakistan and sold in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and even as far as Russia. Behind this is the Chennai-based Exim Rajathi India Pvt Ltd (ERIPL).

“We have entered into an agreement to supply CTC pekoe fannings from South India for three years to our principal buyer in Pakistan. The buyer has established a brand — 1013 Janoowala — exclusive for our tea and it even commands a premium,” said Mr Madan Prakash Murghasan, Director of the company.

“Until we entered into the agreement, Indian teas were mainly used as fillers to be blended with Kenyan tea. But 1013 Janoowala is exclusively South Indian tea, popular for its liquor, colour and flavour,” he said.

The brand, which is claimed to have garnered 40 per cent of the market share, has found its way into Afghanistan, Iraq and even Russia, which sources large quantity of tea from Pakistan, where tea is not cultivated.

ERIPL sources its tea from Coonoor and Coimbatore auctions and it is the sixth biggest buyer of leaf teas at these sales.

The company plans to directly market in Russia, given the fact that there is huge volume at play.

“We plan to export packaged teas and not in bulk as was done earlier,” Mr Madan said.–

M.R.Subramani