Starting Nov 30, 150th Dooars Tea Conclave to be held in Lataguri

Jalpaiguri: The Dooars tea industry celebrates 150 years of its establishment, yet the region’s high-quality CTC tea lacks a distinct brand identity and promotion. To address this, the 150th Dooars Tea Conclave will be held in Lataguri, Dooars, starting November 30, aimed at promoting and establishing a separate branding for Dooars tea.

A Press conference was organised at the office of the District Small Tea Growers Association in Jalpaiguri on Thursday to outline the objectives of the conclave.

The history of Dooars tea dates back to 1874 when the British set up the first tea garden in Gajoldoba, Jalpaiguri. After Independence, the tea industry transitioned to local ownership and over the last 25 years, small tea gardens have become the backbone of Dooars’ tea production. Today, 64 per cent of the tea produced in Jalpaiguri district comes from small tea plantations. North Bengal contributes 33 per cent of India’s total tea production, with 15 per cent originating from the Dooars region alone.

The conclave aims to spotlight the growing significance of small tea growers, who now provide raw leaves for both bought-leaf factories and large tea estates. “This conclave has been organised to secure full recognition for small tea gardens and to establish Dooars tea as a distinct brand across India and international markets,” said Bijaygopal Chakraborty, General Secretary of the Jalpaiguri District Small Tea Growers Association.

The event will host tea traders, domestic tea companies, the Tea Board of India, tea research institutions and experts who will present insights into the current state and future prospects of the tea industry. A book chronicling the 150-year history of Jalpaiguri district and Dooars tea will be released during the conclave, alongside a kit for detecting harmful pesticides in tea.

Remarkably, the initiative to celebrate this milestone has been led by small tea growers, rather than large tea estates, which dominated the industry for its first 125 years. The president of the association, Rajat Roy Karji, noted that large tea garden organisations are supporting this initiative, signaling a unified effort to elevate the status of Dooars tea.