Context
The Indian Tea Association (ITA) released two White Papers seeking targeted government support for the Darjeeling and Dooars–Terai tea industries. Darjeeling tea production declined from 14.49 million kg in 1990 to 5.6 million kg in 2025.
Explanation
- Tea requires a warm, humid, frost-free climate, 20–30°C, 150–300 cm rainfall and deep, well-drained acidic soil.
- Slopes prevent waterlogging; altitude and mist give Darjeeling orthodox tea its distinctive flavour and Geographical Indication (GI) identity.
- Dooars, meaning “doors”, is the northern West Bengal foothill belt forming a gateway to Bhutan.
- Terai is the moist alluvial belt south of the Himalayan foothills; high rainfall and fertile soils favour tea cultivation.
- Tea Board India is a statutory body under the Tea Act, 1953 and the Department of Commerce; its headquarters is in Kolkata.
- It promotes cultivation, research, quality, exports and GI protection.
La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2026 preparation.
FOLLOW US ON:
◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam
◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS
◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/
GET IN TOUCH:
Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/
or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140
OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020
Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524, Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081
Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040
Darjeeling Tea Crisis: Policy Support for a GI Industry