CHENNAI: Concerned over the drop in popularity of tea, particularly among youth, the Tea Board has decided to conduct a three-day tea carnival here from Friday to promote a range of the beverage from the Nilgiris.

The initiative of Tea Board, an organisation under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, was necessitated by the major crisis faced by the tea industry, especially in south India, due to a fall in prices caused by excess production and stagnant consumption.

An increase in consumption would benefit about 65,000 families dependent on small plantations spread over 1 lakh acres in the Nilgiris, said R.D. Nazeem, Board's executive director.

Addressing a press meet on the eve of the carnival here, he said south India accounted for 200 million kg of the total tea production of 850 million kg in the country.

But out of the 200 million kg tea exports from the country, south India's share was 50 per cent.

India was the largest producer, consumer and exporter of tea. However, the higher cost for the industry on account of labour welfare measures in the country affected its exports compared to those of some African countries that did not have strict labour welfare measures.

Therefore, efforts to increase domestic consumption of tea were necessary, he said, pointing out that Nilgiris tea had the flavour, colour and taste, and it had the qualities of both Darjeeling and Assam teas.

Apart from offering Nilgiris tea free of cost to the visitors, the tea carnival, at the Museum complex in Egmore, would host a range of competitions for school and college students and events such as magic and mimicry shows and a fashion show by the National Institute of Fashion Technology.

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