Moscow, Sept 20 - India is seeking to restore its leading position in Russia's tea market by increasing sales and setting up joint ventures, a senior industry official said on Thursday.
"We are planning to become No. 1 again through supplying high-quality teas to Russia and creating joint ventures with Russian importers," said Basudev Banerjee, chairman of the Tea Board of India.
"We want the producers to be here in Russia," he said during a visit to Russia with a delegation from the Tea Board.
Russia is traditionally a tea-drinking country, consuming about 170,000 tonnes per year. It was India's main tea export market before 2001, but Indian exports to Russia declined to about 30,000 tonnes in 2006 from 113,000 tonnes in 2000.
Other countries, including Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia, Kenya and Vietnam, increased their market share in the meantime.
R.K. Krishna Kumar, vice chairman of Tata Tea Ltd , told reporters in August that the Indian company planned to set up a joint venture company in Russia.
Tata Tea, which owns the Tetley tea brand, has been expanding its overseas presence, buying herbal and fruit tea brands in the United States and eastern Europe, and recently taking 70 percent in a joint venture in China.