Arunachal ‘brews love’ for local teas on Valentine’s Day 

The first Arunachal Tea Festival timed with the international day for the commercial celebration of romance to promote the locally-produced beverage 

 A part of Arunachal Pradesh sipped by the Siang River on Tuesday to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a tea twist. 

The Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) slotted the first Arunachal Tea Festival on the day associated globally with the commercial celebration of romance to “brew love” for locally-produced teas. 

The event involving small-tea growers across the State and entrepreneurs who brand niche teas was held at a resort on the banks of the Siang River in Pasighat, the headquarters of the East Siang district. 

“We do not have big estates and factories but there are small tea growers who have been braving challenges to produce various kinds of teas on a small scale. This festival was envisaged to celebrate a day for love by showcasing various grades, qualities and brands of local tea,” APAMB’s chief executive officer, Okit Palling told  The Hindu. 

The idea was to promote tea drinking among the youth and give a platform for tea growers, entrepreneurs and marketing specialists for sharing knowledge and information, he said. 

The State’s Agriculture and Horticulture Minister, Tage Taki said on Tuesday that the festival would be made a calendar event under APAMB and efforts would be made to expand the scope and scale of the event from the next edition. 

“Tea growers in the State should move towards becoming fully organic to ensure a healthy drink remains healthy,” he said.