A delegation of the C.P. Group of Thailand on Monday met representatives of the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Assam and the tea industry to evaluate business opportunities in the tea sector.
If everything goes on right tracks, it is hoped that the Thai group may invest in the tea sector of Assam, which produces 52 per cent of the total tea production of India.
C.P. Group is one of the largest companies of Thailand having presence in more than 30 countries, 3,50,000 employees worldwide and revenue (Billion USD) $50.
Informing this, Bidyananda Barkakoty, a tea planter, Board Member of Tea Board India and Advisor, North Eastern Tea Association, who was also present in the meeting, stated on his Facebook page: “The North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) submitted a list of opportunities in the Assam tea sector.”
During the meeting, the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Assam, was represented by Ravi Capoor, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, Industries & Commerce Department, Assam and Ashutosh Agnihotri, Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Assam, Industries & Commerce Department, Assam.
Jatindra Saikia, principal of Golaghat Commerce College, while reacting to the new development posted on his Facebook page: “Good job. We have a lot of opportunity to work together with Thai groups.”
Saikia, who did a research project on this in 2013 under India-Thai Scholar Exchange programme, also stated:”We should not leave this opportunity and try our level best to materialize this in view of the Act East Policy of India.”
It may be mentioned that Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group in January this year said it plans to invest Rs 1,000 crore over the next five years to open wholesale stores.
According to reports, the group’s retail arm Siam Makro PCL would open 15 wholesale cash and carry stores across India starting with Delhi-NCR, over the next three years under a new brand ‘Lots Wholesale Solutions’.
Tanit Chearavanont, managing director of CP Wholesale India Pvt. Ltd, the local entity, reportedly said: “India and the US are the two priority markets for us for future growth. We have earlier focused on China. We hope to leverage our experience in operating cash and carry business in Thailand and other markets, to crack the Indian market.”