Indo-UK FTA, upcoming Indo-EU pact to open new global markets for Assam tea: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that with the signing of the Indo-UK FTA and the upcoming Indo-EU FTA, Assam Tea will find new markets.

Sarma, who is Davos in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting stated in X, “With the signing of the Indo-UK FTA and the upcoming Indo-EU FTA, Assam Tea will find new markets. From the State Govt perspective, we are incentivising various facets of tea production to bring down the cost of production and make the industry lucrative and competitive”.

He stated , “I am in @wef to explore investment opportunities for Assam primarily in Green Energy, Hydropower and Semiconductor sectors among others”.


He added, “Had a detailed discussion with Yusuff Ali, Chairman of the UAE-based Lulu Group. The Group will soon be sending a team to Assam to explore investment opportunities across agro-processing, hospitality, and commercial retail sectors.”

Sarma said, “Had a productive meeting with Andres Peñate of @abinbev. The company is keen to expand their manufacturing operations in Assam and was appreciative of our regulatory clarity. I have invited him to visit Assam in February to further solidify our discussions”.

The chief minister said, “Today at @wef, I met with Frederic De Wilde, CEO of @InsidePMI. Tobacco consumption is a major challenge in Assam, and we are aiming to make the state nicotine-free. As we move ahead with this objective, as a transitional measure, the group has proposed tobacco harm reduction by 95–96 per cent and smoke-free/combustible tobacco alternatives. We will examine these options after thorough regulatory and statutory approvals.”

The chief minister updated, “We have had important discussions with business and thought leaders on various issues and put up Assam's pitch as an attractive investment destination across sectors”.

He said, “Met Ikarus Janzen, COO of the Varaha Group, which is on a mission to remove 1 billion tonnes of CO? through biochar, regenerative agriculture, and afforestation initiatives. We are exploring avenues to bring them on board to benefit our farming communities”.