• India Tea News: State Budgets Include Tea Worker Housing Funds | Iran Remains a Lost Market for Indian Tea | New Study Reveals New Traits in the Assamica Plant

    By Aravinda Anantharaman | Managing Editor

    India Tea News for the week ending Feb 24, 2024
    India Tea News | Aravinda Anantharaman
    Subscribe Free
    Budget allocates financing for worker houses
    Assam budget allocates financing for tea worker housing

    Budget Season and Aid for Tea

    As State Governments announce their budget for the upcoming financial year, the tea industry has been waiting for news on its impact. So far, the Tamil Nadu government has announced an incentive of Rs 2 per kilo to members of the state-owned INDCO cooperative in the Nilgiris. This benefits about 27,000 small tea farmers attached to the INDCO factories. In Assam, 130,000 houses were to be constructed as per last year’s budget. This year, 10% of the houses are earmarked for tea garden workers. Additionally, funds will be earmarked towards payments of electricity bills in arrears in the tea communities. In West Bengal, the finance minister said 2,500 acres of unused land in tea gardens had been recovered and land rights granted to 23,000 workers in the Dooars. The housing scheme here continued to be in focus, as land rights and funds for house construction were included. Five tourism projects on four tea estates in the region have also been approved.

    Iran Turns to Sri Lanka for Tea

    The Hindu Businessline reported that a barter agreement between Iran and Sri Lanka will mean India will continue to lose in this market. In 2023, India’s tea shipment to Iran decreased from 54.45 mn kilos (2019) to 6 million (2023). Iran and Sri Lanka have entered a barter to settle the latter’s oil debt of $250 million for fuel purchases made in 2012. According to the agreement, Sri Lanka will supply tea worth $5 million monthly for 48 months, ending in September 2027.

    Study on Assam Tea

    A study published in the Journal of Plant Beverage Research reveals new Camellia sinensis assamica varietal traits. Researchers from India and China who have worked on this study using 150 SNP markers and population genetics tools to conclude that Assam tea is unique. Researchers identified five distinct genetic populations independently domesticated from a western cluster of wild tea trees rather than introduced from a single origin. The varietal grown in Assam differs from the eastern cluster grown in Yunnan. This new understanding presents new possibilities for cultivating new hybrids bred from Assam tea.

    Powered by RedCircle

    •

    Aravinda Anantharaman

    •

    ,
    , , , , , ,

  • India Tea News: Guwahati Hosts BATIC 2024 to Celebrate 200 Years of Assam Tea | Artisanal Assamese Tea Farmer Maddhurjya Gogoi Passes Away

    By Aravinda Anantharaman | Managing Editor

    India Tea News for the week ending 2nd Feb 2024
    India Tea News | Aravinda Anantharaman
    Subscribe Free
    BATIC 2024 | Assam Bi-Centenary Celebration

    Assam Celebrates 200 Years of Tea

    Ahead of the Intergovernmental Group on Tea’s meeting in Guwahati, Assam, the Tea Research Association hosted a 2-day Bicentenary Assam Tea International Conference as part of the bicentennial celebrations of the Assam tea industry. It took place on the 29th and 30th at the Radisson Blu, Guwahati, and saw close to 400 people from the industry, including guests from the global tea industry representing 25 countries, in attendance. While it was an event that brought people from the tea trade under one roof, there was also a series of discussions on current preoccupations in tea, including regenerative agriculture, marketing Indian tea, the small tea grower segment, and new technologies and innovations in tea. Keynote speakers were James Grayland of Wanlin Teahouse, Shanghai, and Nitin Saluja of Chaayos.

    In Memoriam: Maddhurjya Gogoi, tea farmer

    Tea Farmer Maddhurjya Gogoi,46, passed away suddenly on 31st January 2024 after suffering a cerebral stroke. Maddhurjya was a pioneer in the artisanal tea sector in Assam, running Assam Teehaus, a direct-to-market brand of craft tea. His teas have earned rave reviews across the world. Maddhurjya’s contribution to Assam tea is significant, as is his relentless pursuit of organic specialty tea making. Maddhurjya is survived by his mother and two young children.

    Powered by RedCircle

    • Share this post
      India Tea News: Guwahati Hosts BATIC 2024 to Celebrate 200 Years of Assam Tea | Artisanal Assamese Tea Farmer Maddhurjya Gogoi Passes Away | Ep 153 |

    •

    Aravinda Anantharaman

    •

    , , , , , , , ,

  • India Tea News: Tea Association of India calls for tea to be declared national drink | Tripura set to get first tea auction center

    By Aravinda Anantharaman | Managing Editor

    India Tea News for the week ending 26 Jan 2024
    Subscribe Free
    #IndiaTea

    Tea Association of India calls for tea to be made the national drink

    At the 36th general meeting of the Assam branch of the TAI, the Chairman, UK Singh, reiterated the sustainability concerns of the Indian tea industry. The association called for an aggressive marketing campaign and declared tea as the national drink to support the industry. It discussed the need for “short-term supply restrictions and long-term demand creation.” Growers batted for a Minimum Support Price to support livelihoods. Ruhul Amin, Assistant High Commissioner, Bangladesh was the Chief Guest and Indo-Bangladesh trade challenges were also discussed. The Shillong Times

    Tripura to get auction center

    The northeastern state of Tripura is all set to get its auction center soon. The state borders Assam and has 60 tea estates that produce 9,000,000 kilos of tea annually. Currently, the tea is sold via Guwahati and Kolkata auction centers. Tea is a major cash crop for the state, and producers have been seeking an auction center for some time now. They have also sought for access to the Sreemangal auction centre in neighbouring Bangladesh.

    Powered by RedCircle

    •

    Dan Bolton

    •

    , , ,
Verified by MonsterInsights