In a bid to work jointly towards sustainable development of the tea sector, the United Planters' Association of Southern India (UPASI) and the China Tea Marketing Association (CTMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. N. Dharmaraj, president of UPASI, said this is the first step towards greater regional co-operation between Indian and Chinese tea industries, the two countries that produce and consume the highest volume of tea. A delegation from UPASI visited China three months ago and the MoU was signed then. India's annual production of tea is about 1,200 million kg and China's is 2000 million kg (approximately). The producers follow several standards . “We are trying to see how these standards can be codified; there is a need for world standards.”
