NE BUSINESS BUREAU
SURAT, OCT 7
The Gujarat Tea Traders Association celebrated its historic 50th Golden Jubilee and Annual General Meeting at Shri Kashtabhanjan Dev Hanumanji Temple, Salangpur, marking five decades of unity, organisation and collective growth of Gujarat’s tea-trading fraternity.
The ceremony witnessed representation from the entire tea trade fraternity, including members of the association, entrepreneurs associated with the tea business, wholesalers, retailers, packers and commission agents. The 50-year journey of unity and organisation of the tea trader family from 1976 to 2026 was celebrated with great pride.
To determine the future growth direction of the tea market, several distinguished leaders of the country’s tea industry were present. These included Prabhat Bezboruah, Former Chairman, Tea Board of India and Tea Research Association; Paras Desai, Chairman, Federation of All India Tea Traders Associations; and Sanjay Choudhry, Vice President, J. Thomas & Co., along with prominent representatives of the tea industry from major tea-producing regions of Kolkata, Assam and South India.
The Golden Jubilee ceremony was blessed by the divine presence and spiritual blessings of Param Pujya Acharya Rakeshprasadji Maharajshri, Pithadhipati, Shri Laxminarayan Dev Gadi, Vadtaldham.
On the occasion, in his opening address, GTTA President Manish Patel presented the association’s glorious 50-year journey, stating that the movement has evolved into a strong trade organisation protecting the interests of more than 600 active members associated with the packaging, wholesale, retail and commission agency sectors.
Drawing inspiration from the principles of Pujya Gandhiji, Patel emphasised the need to move forward for the collective development of the entire tea trader family. He also appealed to tea industry experts to provide guidance and mentorship to the next generation of youth to help them understand and tackle the challenges of the global trade sector.
Association Secretary Ratanlal Sharma reiterated the resolve to make Gujarat’s tea trade industry stronger, modern and more organised. He emphasised the need for continuous improvement in tea quality and the introduction of premium varieties to increase market demand.
Sharma further highlighted the necessity of introducing modern flavours and innovative tea products to connect the new generation of consumers with tea and strengthen the industry’s future market potential.
FOCUS ON MODERNISATION AND FUTURE-READY TEA TRADE
Special discussions were held on the occasion, keeping in mind the long-term modernisation of the tea industry and the future of the market. Under the guidance of the dignitaries present, special emphasis was laid on key aspects necessary for the continuous and sustainable development of the tea industry.
The association also confirmed the reinforcement of a new and robust organisational structure to ensure balanced representation and streamlined regional administration across Gujarat.
Under the leadership of President Manish Patel and Honorary Secretary Ratanlal Sharma, four Vice Presidents and four Joint Secretaries have been appointed to ensure appropriate representation of different regions of Gujarat.
Along with this, Vice President Chandrakant Prajapati has been assigned the responsibility of coordinating the association’s social-media-related operations.
The Golden Jubilee gathering thus emerged not merely as a celebration of the association’s five-decade journey, but as a platform to chart a more organised, innovative and market-responsive future for Gujarat’s tea-trading fraternity.