Indian Tea

An Overview


A loose tea retail outlet in Kolkata. Exquisite and top quality Darjeeling tea cost as much as Rs 4000 per kg.

India is the second largest producer of tea (camelia sinensis), the largest consumer and the fourth largest exporter (after Sri Lanka, Kenya and China) in the world. Commercial tea production began only in the 1830's (the first shipment of Assam tea was shipped to England in 1838) although the tea plant grew wild in Assam. Tea production spread to other parts of India by the 1860's. Current production has almost quadrupled from a level of 255 m kgs in 1947. Per capita consumption has grown multifold since the early 1950's figures of some 200 grams to 700 grams today. Four fifths of the tea produced in India is consumed domestically. The major tea growing areas of India are: North Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. India's approx. Tea is grown by 130,000 small and large tea growers under a gross area of over half a million hectares. Tea gardens employed approx. 1.3 m labourers in 2005.

The major tea growing areas of India are Darjeeling (West Bengal), Terai and Dooars (West Bengal) Assam and Nilgiri (Kerala and Tamil Nadu). Tea is also produced in smaller volumes in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Tripura, Manipur, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Bihar and Orissa totalling approx. 21,000 hectares.

South Indian tea is grown under an area of approx. 115,000 hectares, ie. roughly one fifth of India's total. Tamil Nadu is the major tea growing state in South India with 76,000 hectares under tea cultivation. Kerala has 37,000 hectares while Karnataka is a much smaller tea growing state with only just 2,000 hectares.

Exports

Indian tea exports hit a new bottom in 2007 with only 155.6 m kgs of tea shipped overseas and total earnings dropping to Rs 15 billion. The major buyers of Indian teas in 2006 were Russia (33 m kgs), United Kingdom (20 m kgs), United Arab Emirates (22 m kgs), Iraq (42 m kgs) and Pakistan (15 m kgs). Exports for the Jan-July '08 period have witnessed an upswing with almost 106 m kgs compared to 89 m kgs in the previous year.

Darjeeling

Darjeeling tea, considered the champagne of all teas, is grown exclusively in Darjeeling located in northern West Bengal. The high quality and distinct flavour and aroma of Darjeeling tea is a result of unique climate, soil, altitude and processing methods prevalent in Darjeeling. Total production amounted to 11,700 tons. The tea gardens (87 in total) of Darjeeling cover an area of approx. 17,500 hectares and provide employment to over 50,000 labourers.

Assam

Assam tea is grown in an area of over 270,000 hectares.

Nilgiri

Tea Plantation Gallery


A closeup of tea leaves in a plantation in Munnar, Kerala.

A tea plantation in Munnar, Kerala. South Indian Nilgiri tea is produced here.

Planted trees amidst the tea gardens protect the delicate tea bushes from the sun.

A tea processing factory in Munnar.



















Tea Related Links

Tea Production (2007): 945 million tons
Tea exports in value (2006-07): USD 413 million
Average export tea price/kg (2006-07): Rs 98.3
Tea exports 2007 (million kg): 157
Tea imports 2007 (million kg): 15

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Videos

Munnar Tea Gardens - © Timir Mozumder

Munnar is a major tea growing area in the state of Kerala. 16 tea plantations in Munnar occupy around 8,500 hectares (85 km²) of land. The tea plantations are owned by Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company. Tata Tea has a minority stake in the company. An instant tea factory is also located in Munnar.