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Tea Traders GTTA Marks 50 Years at Salangpur Tea Gathering

Gujarat Tea Traders Association Marks 50 Years with Tea Sector Gathering at Salangpur

Gujarat’s tea trade marked a significant anniversary on October 2, 2026, as the Gujarat Tea Traders Association (GTTA) held its 50th Annual General Meeting and Golden Jubilee celebration at the Shree Kashtabhanjan Dev Hanumanji Mandir in Salangpur.

The event brought together tea wholesalers, retailers, packers, commission agents, members of their families and tea businesses from across Gujarat. The association said its membership now stands at more than 600 active members, covering several parts of the tea trade.

The meeting also drew senior figures from the national tea sector, including Paras Desai, Chairman of the Federation of All India Tea Traders Associations (FAITTA); tea producer and former Tea Board of India and Tea Research Association Chairman Prabhat Bezboruah; and Sanjay Chaudhary, Vice President of J. Thomas & Co. Representatives from tea-producing and trading centres in Kolkata, Assam and South India also attended.

For GTTA, the gathering marked five decades since its formation in 1976. The association traces its early work to its Founder President, Late Piyushbhai Desai. Over the years, its activities have covered businesses involved in buying, packing, wholesaling and retailing tea.

The timing of the meeting also carried a connection with Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. GTTA President Manish Patel referred to Gandhi Jayanti during his opening address. Members also observed a one-minute silence in memory of the late founder president and association members who had died recently.

The discussions at Salangpur came at a time when India’s tea trade is dealing with changing consumer tastes, production pressures and the need to maintain quality.

Tea Board India recorded 2025 tea exports at 285.53 million kg, worth about Rs 8,659 crore. During the first three months of 2025-26, exports stood at 271.93 million kg, according to Tea Board figures. India had also moved to third place among the world’s tea exporters in 2024, when it shipped 254.67 million kg of tea worth Rs 7,111.43 crore.

These figures underline the size of the market in which Gujarat’s traders operate. The domestic trade remains closely connected to production centres in Assam, West Bengal and southern India, while traders and packers determine how tea reaches consumers in different parts of the country.

Paras Desai, who became Chairman of FAITTA in 2025, used the GTTA meeting to discuss some of the issues facing the trade. He called for greater tea consumption through better quality and a wider choice of premium teas. He also spoke about the need to attract younger consumers with new flavours and products.

Packaging was another issue raised at the meeting. Desai called for better bulk packaging by producers so that tea retains its freshness and aroma as it moves through packers, wholesalers and retailers.

The question of quality has gained greater importance for the industry in recent years. Tea producers have faced weather-related problems and rising production costs. Extreme weather affected Indian tea production in 2024, with heat and floods damaging output in key producing areas, particularly Assam.

Prabhat Bezboruah, who was previously Chairman of both the Tea Board of India and Tea Research Association, has also had a long association with tea production and research. Tea Board records show that he served as chairman from 2019 to 2022, while academic records describe his work as a tea planter and his earlier leadership roles in the Tea Board and Tea Research Association.

The discussion about younger consumers reflects a wider question for India’s tea trade: how to keep a traditional beverage relevant as buying habits change.

For established traders, this means paying closer attention to product quality, packaging, flavours and the way tea is presented to consumers. The issue is especially relevant to retailers and packers, who are often the final link between bulk tea and the customer.

GTTA also used the occasion to recognise people associated with its permanent headquarters, Manikaka Tea House. The association expressed its thanks to Kiritbhai Manibhai Patel, described as the main and inspirational donor for the headquarters.

The family of Late Odhavjibhai Jadavjibhai Patel, a former GTTA president, was also recognised. His son, Mahendrabhai O. Patel, was named as the main commercial sponsor for the 50th-year event.

The association confirmed its governing structure for the coming period. Manish Patel will continue as President and Ratanlal Sharma as Honorary Secretary. Four Vice Presidents and four Joint Secretaries have been appointed to provide representation across Gujarat. Chandrakant Prajapati has been given responsibility for social media support.

The gathering ended with a call for experienced members and visiting industry figures to guide younger people entering the tea trade. A networking lunch followed the AGM.

GTTA’s 50-year milestone comes as India’s tea industry enters another period of change. Tea Board data shows the country remains a major producer and exporter, but the trade faces pressure to maintain quality, respond to consumer preferences and manage changes in production.

For Gujarat’s tea traders, the next phase will therefore depend on how effectively the established trade community prepares younger businesses for these changes while maintaining the relationships built over five decades.