India must develop new globally competitive tea varieties: Goyal

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Friday observed that while India continues to be globally recognised for iconic teas such as Darjeeling, Assam, and Nilgiri, it is important for the country to develop a wider catalogue of internationally marketable products.

While addressing the Sankalp Foundation’s National Conference on Safe Tea Production here, the Commerce Minister underlined that India must move beyond its traditional strengths and focus on creating new signature blends that resonate with changing consumer tastes, emerging wellness trends, and premium lifestyle markets worldwide.

Goyal said India needs to move beyond raw leaf exports by promoting high-value, branded finished products. The Minister outlined key priorities for the future: Sustainability and modern farming, including drip irrigation, organic practices, and eco-friendly packaging needs to be adopted.

He urged researchers and scientists to leverage India’s diverse agro-climatic strengths to develop innovative varieties and high-value products that can unlock new export opportunities.

Such innovation-driven value addition, he said, would not only enhance India’s global footprint but also enable farmers—particularly small growers—to secure better returns. The Minister stressed that sustained research, experimentation, and product development will be key to ensuring that Indian tea remains competitive, distinctive, and future-ready in an increasingly dynamic global tea industry.

Goyal noted that India is among the world’s largest tea producers and exporters, with nearly 255 million tonnes exported annually. He underscored the importance of safeguarding this key industry, which plays an integral role in India’s hospitality and trade culture, and added that deliberations held during the conference would provide valuable inputs to the Ministry and the Tea Board to further strengthen the sector.

He stated that initiatives under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are focused on supporting small tea growers, workers, and allied stakeholders. He observed that tea is deeply ingrained in India’s social fabric and plays a vital role in bringing families and communities together.

Goyal emphasised that while the Government remains committed to improving the lives of tea growers, inputs, suggestions, and guidance from stakeholders, researchers, and industry players are invaluable in shaping effective policies.

He highlighted the Government’s Rs 1,000-crore package aimed at supporting tea growers and workers, along with initiatives such as the Chai Sahayog App, which enables small growers to realise better prices for their produce.

The Minister highlighted the need for complete traceability across the tea supply chain and stressed that the integrity of Indian tea must be protected at every stage—from plucking and processing to packaging and export. He urged researchers, industry stakeholders, and young entrepreneurs to explore emerging technologies such as blockchain to enable end-to-end transparency.

Such systems, he said, can record every step of the production cycle, helping identify the exact source, grade, and quality of each batch of tea, prevent mixing with lower-quality or imported varieties, and ensure that only authentic Indian blends reach consumers.

Strengthened traceability, he added, would safeguard India’s reputation as a global tea leader, build greater trust among international buyers, and secure better value for farmers and small growers.

He assured that the Ministry and the Tea Board would extend full support for global outreach initiatives, including participation in trade fairs, international events, and buyer–seller meets.

The Minister suggested incorporating innovative storytelling in tea marketing by highlighting the origin, process, and uniqueness of each cup. He also urged the industry to identify state-of-the-art testing equipment to ensure the highest quality standards and assured that FSSAI, BIS, and EIC stand ready to support the establishment of world-class testing facilities across the country.