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Indian Tea Association Seeks Bengal Support to Revive Tea Industry
The Indian Tea Association wants the West Bengal government to help tea-growing areas.
It gave the government two reports called White Papers.
The reports focus on Darjeeling and Dooars–Terai.
Darjeeling is producing much less tea than it did in 1990.
The association says the industry faces high costs, labour problems, climate challenges and market pressures.
It has suggested about ₹113 crore each year for Darjeeling tea.
It also wants ₹50 crore to improve tea quality and productivity in Dooars–Terai.
Other ideas include better worker support, newer machines, tea tourism and help selling tea in India and abroad.
The Indian Tea Association submitted two White Papers seeking coordinated West Bengal government action for the Darjeeling and Dooars–Terai tea industries.
Darjeeling tea production declined from 14.49 million kilograms in 1990 to 5.6 million kilograms in 2025, according to the ITA.
The ITA proposed about ₹113 crore in annual support for Darjeeling, including assistance for orthodox tea, provident-fund contributions, transport, mechanisation and factory upgrades.
For the Dooars–Terai region, which accounts for 98% of Bengal’s tea production, the association proposed an initial ₹50 crore quality and productivity package.
The proposals also include seasonal-industry status, labour and regulatory reforms, tea tourism, pricing measures, GST rationalisation and stronger export support.
- Who
- The Indian Tea Association and senior officials of the West Bengal government, including Tapas Roy, Swapan Dasgupta and Subrata Gupta.
- What
- The ITA submitted two White Papers proposing financial, policy, labour and market measures to revive the Darjeeling and Dooars–Terai tea industries.
- Where
- West Bengal, particularly the Darjeeling and Dooars–Terai tea-growing regions.
- When
- The delegations submitted the papers on July 28, August 3 and August 24; the articles do not specify the year.
- Why
- The ITA says declining production, rising costs, labour pressures, climate-related challenges and market difficulties are harming competitiveness, employment and rural livelihoods.
Key facts
- Organisation
- Indian Tea Association (ITA)
- Regions covered
- Darjeeling and Dooars–Terai
- Darjeeling production change
- 14.49 million kg in 1990 to 5.6 million kg in 2025
- Proposed Darjeeling support
- About ₹113 crore annually
- Darjeeling package details
- ₹50 crore for employers’ provident-fund contributions and ₹28 crore for high-quality orthodox tea, alongside other assistance
- Dooars–Terai proposal
- Initial ₹50 crore package to improve quality and productivity
- Additional measures
- Seasonal-industry status, labour reforms, tea tourism, Minimum Sustainable Price for Made Tea, Minimum Import Price for orthodox teas, GST rationalisation and enhanced RoDTEP support
Sources
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