Tea planters of North Bengal has raised concern on the quality of Nepal Tea imported in India. The quality has hampered the Darjeeling Tea in the international market.
Tea planters during annual general meeting of Terai Branch of Indian Tea Association at Bagdogra discussed the issue and requested the government to allow the import of Nepal Tea via auction and also issue quality check process at the border points.
In 2023 Nepal Tea was imported around 14 million tons Atul Rastogi addl vice chairman of Indian Tea Association said that we have no objection on import of Nepal Tea but the quality should be standard and check before entering to Indian border points.
He also said that there are several porous border especially in Jhapa and Ilam district where Tea leaves and made Tea and entering illegally.
India Tea Board has also written letters to the Tea stakeholders in Tea industry seeking their proposals and feedbacks regarding auction process for Nepal Tea entering to India.
The paper showed that 13.66 million kg of tea was imported from Nepal to India in 2023 at ₹143.65 a kg, at least half of which is of the orthodox variety (leaf tea) and competes with Darjeeling. A large quantity is often sold in the market as Darjeeling tea to gullible consumers.
ITA has mooted a minimum import price for Nepal tea to provide a level playing field for Darjeeling tea, which has a production cost of ₹650 a kg on an average.
Nepal tea enjoys a duty-free access to the Indian market under the bilateral Free Trade Treaty of 2009, even though it imposes a 40 per cent duty on Indian tea entering Nepal, putting Darjeeling tea on a sticky wicket. However, India has been hesitant to check the influx of Nepal teas due to geo-political consideration so far.
While the effectiveness of a mandatory auction is being hotly debated within the tea circle, an ITA paper, submitted to Bengal labour minister Malay Ghatak, seeks an urgent fiscal package
