THE TEA INDUSTRY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17739, 28 March 1932, Page 2

THE TEA INDUSTRY

PLANTERS ADVOCATE PREFERENTIAL TRADE CALCUTTA. March 16. According to a statement by Mr. freer, president, of the Darjeeling'Planters’ Association, in an address at the annual gathering of members, the sum ot £50.000 is going to he spent in (lie coming year on tea. propaganda in the United States and £IO,OOO in the United Kingdom. The fear was expressed that if the propaganda were dropped tea imports into America would decrease wit,hiii a short, period, whereas since 1924 the imports of Indian tea to America had increased, despite the decrease in general imports of tea iuto America bv 18.000.00011).

Mr. (.Veer added that markets had gone from had to worse. Competition appeared to he almost entirely eliminated. The industry was passing through a period almost unparalleled. It was difficult, at the moment to prophesy heller times. In spite* oLthe repeated representations hv the Indian Tea Association, hacked hv the Governments of Bengal and Assam, hut. unfortunately without, the aetive support of the Government. of Lidia, no preference had yet heen imposed. In concluding, Mr. Greer referred to Hie remarkable degree in which Inlying for London amv concentrated in four combinations' controlling 70 per cent, of flic home distributing (lade, lie, urged Indian tea interests to make greater efforts with all available funds for the expansion of the Indian markets, if possible with the aid of the distributors, Imt. if necessary in defiance of the distributing interests.