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| Indian Express
30 June 1989
Author: Madha Sarda
A bare 2% of the total tea products in the country, and what clad it spell all over the world. To call it the ‘champagne of tea’ is to undermine the importance of the Darjeeling Tea. Champagne (it certainly excels in quality) can be produced and produced in any desired quantity, but that is not the case with the Darjeeling Tea. A mere 11 million Kgs. of this cherished beverage is available to the tea loving people of the world and that’s that. Furthermore, the much sought – after vintage teas from the First (Spring) and second (Summer) Flushes constitute just a small portion of the total production. Where champagne is in abundance, quality Darjeeling Tea is scarce.
Paucity of funds, unfavourable climate conditions and above all political unrest have of late driven the tea industry in Darjeeling to dire straits. Excepting in certain pockets, the industry at large is facing an uncertain and rather bleak future and if this trend is not arrested, Darjeeling to dire straits. Expecting in certain pockets, the industry at large in facing an uncertain and rather bleak future and if this trend is not arrested, Darjjeling Tea may face the rospects of phased out extinction much to the chagrin of tea lovers and connoisseurs all over the world. I may be striking too pessimistic a note, but it certainly calls for immediate attention.
It can be said in no uncertain terms that there in tremendous scope for furthering the export of Darjeeling Tea, a commodity which is very prized and fetches fancy price the world over in order to achieve this the government in collaboration with the industry must make a concerted effort to device ways and means to enhance the production as well as the quality of Darjeeling Tea. By increasing the per hectare yield, increasing the plantation area and improving the quality of the teas further, wonder can be done to the ment – sponsored body psssibly in the name and style of ‘Darjeeling Tea Authority’ be formed comprising people from government financial institution, tea garden owners, planters and technical export on tea, tea traders and exporters (only those specialising in Darjeeling tea). This Authority should then I cooperation with the Tea Board and should look after all aspects of Darjeeling Tea – from Plantation and production, to disbursing loans and grants and ensuring that the same are utilised in the best manner to sales promotion ans publicity leading to greater exports and so on and so forth.
Another very concerning factor is that a vase number unscrupulous traders the world over, are peddling non – Darjeeling teas as pure Darjeeling. This does Darjeeling tea a more harm than good since ordinary teas produced in various countries are sold as ‘Darjeeling’ – thus creating a misconception about the real Darjeeling tea in the minds of the gullible tea drinkers. Although the Tea Board had introduced a Darjeeling logo to certify packet teas to be ‘Pure Darjeeling’ if they contain 60% or more of Darjeeling tea, it remains to be seen how effective a safeguard against unscrupulous selling of Darjeeling Tea, this logo turns out to be.
In short Darjeeling Tea has a tremendous potential for export especially in the affluent countries and in spite of the tiny share that it has in the total tea production of the country, it can increases the popularity of Indian teas as a whole and last but not list it can give India’s foreign earning the much needed shot in the arm. |  Back to Main |
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