George Williamson has no plans to sell gardens

Our Corporate Bureau

Kolkata, May 7: GEORGE Williamson (Assam) Ltd, whose UK-based promoters parted ways last month with their Indian partners, said Monday it has no plans to sell its Assam tea estates to Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL) or to any other company. “If anything, we are a buyer, not a seller,” a company release quoted Mr Philip Magor, chairman of Williamson Tea Holdings plc, the parent of George Williamson (Assam), as saying.

The release, captioned “Williamson ‘sticking to tea’”, said the company has had a “very close and productive” relationship for years with HLL’s parent Unilever.

Following Mr Magor’s breakup with the BM Khaitan group, The Financial Express had reported that HLL is eyeing the tea gardens of George Williamson (Assam) Ltd.