Problems in the tea industry

During the Soviet period, Georgia supplied the entire Soviet Union with tea. However, after regaining independence, the tea industry declined in Georgia and today is almost dying. In recent years some attempts appeared to revive this formerly successful agricultural sector for Georgia. Tea producing countries decided to establish a type of union for the world producers of tea under the name International Tea Producers’ Forum (ITPF). The headquarters of this organization will be located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The major producer of tea, Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, Indonesia, Malawi and Rwanda, are the founding members of the ITPF. If Georgia manages to seriously revive its tea industry, it too might also apply to join the organization.