Darj ‘tea sector crisis’ spotlighted in RS; MP urges immediate govt action
Darjeeling: The mounting crisis in India’s tea sector, particularly in Darjeeling and the North-East, was brought to the forefront in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla called for immediate government intervention during the ‘Zero Hour’.
Shringla warned that the decline of the sector threatens the livelihoods of over one million workers and nearly six million people who depend on tea gardens across the country. He stressed that safeguarding this heritage industry is critical not only for the economy of the region but also for India’s global cultural identity.
The MP flagged numerous challenges confronting the sector—ranging from climate stress and shrinking forest cover to labour shortages, volatile pricing and a surge in low-quality imports. He noted that imports from African countries and Nepal had jumped by nearly 45 per cent in the first half of 2025, eroding the global brand value of Darjeeling tea. Production figures, he said, have plummeted dramatically from 14 million kg in the 1970s to just 5.51 million kg in 2024, reflecting a deep structural decline.
Shringla also drew attention to unviable estates, pending land lease issues and the widespread mis-branding of imported teas as Darjeeling tea—practices that continue to distort markets and damage the region’s hard-earned reputation.
Urging the Commerce Ministry to act swiftly, he called for stronger measures to curb low-grade imports and to fortify protections for premium GI-tagged teas from Darjeeling, Assam and the Nilgiris. He further highlighted the need to expand ongoing community-based livelihood diversification models in Darjeeling as a long-term resilience strategy for tea-garden communities.
“Darjeeling tea is not just a product; it is a global heritage and the pride of India,” he remarked. “Protecting it means protecting the communities who have nurtured it for generations.”
Recalling the G20 Summit in 2023, Shringla said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had presented Darjeeling tea to world leaders. Shringla reaffirmed his commitment to preserving both the economic well-being and cultural legacy of tea workers.
Incidentally, the Darjeeling tea industry time and again has been inviting attention of the authorities on the alleged imports of low quality Nepal tea which is being sold as Darjeeling by some unscrupulous businessmen. They have been demanding stringent check and balance measures. The state government has been flagging this issue too.
Recent reports state that more than 50 per cent of Nepal tea samples tested by the authorities failed to meet the food safety parameters laid down by India’s food regulator. An affidavit filed by the Tea Board in Calcutta High Court disclosed that 22 out of 43 samples drawn for checking adherence to Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) in the financial year 2025 failed the tests.
