Assam tea on Lufthansa menu brings cheer to industry

Guwahati: German airlines Lufthansa appears set to have Assam tea on its in-flight menu, a move that has brought cheer to the northeast Indian state's massive tea industry.
"We are aware of the move and are extremely happy. Lufthansa not only can serve as a brand ambassador for Assam tea, but can give passengers a delightful experience of the high quality tea produce from the state," Dhiraj Kakaty, head of the Indian Tea Association's Assam Branch, said.
The Indian Tea Board is talking to the German airline in this connection and the response from Lufthansa has been "positive", a Tea Board official said.
The tea chosen is the best quality Assam Orthodox variety, that can compete favourably with the other well known varieties from elsewhere in India -- the delicately flavoured Darjeeling and the stronger Nilgiri teas.
Germany, Kakaty said, is already familiar with the Second Flush Orthodox tea from Assam, grown during the best tea-growing season of May-June in the state.
"Plantations in Assam are already exporting an estimated five to six million kg of Second Flush Orthodox tea to Germany. It is only a matter of time before people in Germany would endorse it as their favourite brand of tea," Kakaty said.
02/11/07 IANS/Economic Times

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Categories: Foreign Nov 2007, New Nov 2007