Asian Tea has also started exports of garments and speciality steel. The long years in Tea exports has opened doors for exports of these commodities and it is looking at high growth from these products.

The Asian Group has decided to look at the agriculture sector and diversify into corporate farming, as food is the single largest component of national consumption, accounting for 53 per cent of the expenditure in the consumption basket.

The Company, in association with IIT, Kharagpur, plans to start organic farming of fruits and vegetables; and vermiculture to create compost as organic fertilzer input.

On a pilot basis, it is taking up a medicinal plant project for which it is sourcing expertise again through IIT Kharagpur. This would cover about half a dozen varieties of plants

Tea has been in my DNA. While our Company has withstood the vicissitudes the tea industry is characterised with, I felt I would utilize my inextricable root with the soil and create and build something on it and explore the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.

With the country's economy marching ahead, I instinctively realized that the best route to growth lay in land, property and related fields.

Like real estate where we have garnered proven experience... Another natural path would be to tap tea tourism, corporate farming and so on. That's how we have strategized our future plans and I am confident that we are on track to exponential growth and to enhance value to our shareholders over a sustained period.