By Aleksandras Budrys
MOSCOW, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Russian tea and coffee producers may cut imports by about 20 percent in the next few months due to the world financial crisis, the head of industry lobby Rusteacoffee said on Wednesday.
Ramaz Chanturiya said his lobby had sent a letter to Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev saying that to maintain stability the sector needs 6 billion roubles ($219.8 million) from state funds aimed at supporting agricultural producers.
"In crisis conditions, it is difficult to keep significant stocks at warehouses. Therefore the owners of these stocks will reduce tea and coffee stocks, simultaneously cutting imports in the next three to four months," Chanturiya told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Chanturiya estimated Russian domestic annual tea consumption at 160,000-170,000 tonnes this year and consumption of all types of coffee, including mixes, at around 115,000 tonnes.
Consumption of both products has been stable in the last few years.
Russia imports practically all its tea and 100 percent of its coffee from abroad. The main tea suppliers are Sri Lanka, India, China, Indonesia, Kenya and Vietnam.
The biggest suppliers of roast and ground coffee are Finland, Vietnam, Germany, Brazil and India. Brazil, Vietnam and India are the main suppliers of green coffee. (Editing by Robin Paxton and Peter Blackburn)