Now Reading: ITA seeks Rs 113 crore annual package for Darjeeling tea revival
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ITA seeks Rs 113 crore annual package for Darjeeling tea revival
ITA seeks Rs 113 crore annual package for Darjeeling tea revival
The Indian Tea Association (ITA) has asked the West Bengal government for a financial, regulatory and structural package to revive the tea industry in Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai. Two White Papers warn…
The Indian Tea Association (ITA) has asked the West Bengal government for a financial, regulatory and structural package to revive the tea industry in Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai. Two White Papers warn that declining production, ageing plantations, rising costs and market pressures threaten the sector's sustainability.
For Darjeeling, production has fallen from 14.49 million kg in 1990 to 5.6 million kg in 2025. ITA seeks an annual support of about Rs 113 crore covering orthodox tea production, working-capital interest, transportation, mechanisation, social security, plantation rejuvenation and factory modernisation. It also proposes seasonal industry status for Darjeeling tea.
The association has called for a Minimum Sustainable Price for Made Tea, a Minimum Import Price for orthodox teas, rationalisation of GST on ready-to-drink tea products and higher RoDTEP support for exports. ITA presented the papers to ministers Tapas Roy, Swapan Dasgupta and advisor Subrata Gupta between July and August, and has sought time-bound implementation of the measures.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Darjeeling tea industry, protected by a Geographical Indication tag since 2004, has been losing ground to cheaper blends and stagnant yields for decades. The state government controls land use and labour laws in tea estates, so ITA's appeal targets Kolkata, not Delhi. West Bengal's fiscal room is tight, but the social cost of inaction is high: the sector directly employs over 60,000 workers and supports lakhs more in the hills. The key test is whether the state will treat the Rs 113 crore demand as a one-time grant or as the start of an annual subsidy commitment. The next meeting with the finance department will reveal the government's appetite for a structured revival plan.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
