The United Planters’ Association of Southern India

UPASI, the acronym for The United Planters' Association of Southern India, serves as the apex body representing planters and individuals engaged in the cultivation of tea, coffee, rubber, pepper, and cardamom across the southern Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Remarkably, UPASI stands as a distinctive association, as no other organization globally is responsible for safeguarding the interests of such a diverse array of plantation crops—namely, tea, coffee, rubber, pepper, and cardamom—dating back to its inception in 1893.

Throughout its one-hundred-and-thirty-year history, UPASI has actively and diversely contributed to the advancement of the five key plantation crops while also participating in initiatives related to social reform and infrastructure development. This remarkable journey has been made possible through the visionary leadership and forward-thinking individuals who have guided UPASI. Throughout its existence, UPASI has demonstrated exceptional adaptability to changing circumstances.

UPASI has consistently served as a bridge, facilitating connections between buyers, sellers, processors, exporters, cooperatives, and other market intermediaries. This role extends to engaging with central and state governments, as well as other relevant organizations such as the Coffee Board (established in 1942), the Rubber Board (established in 1947), the Tea Board (established in 1953), and the Spices Board (established in 1987). Furthermore, following India's independence and the introduction of new legislation, notably the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act of 1973, UPASI played a vital role in ensuring a smooth and gradual transition from British to Indian ownership.