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Gorkhaland agitation makes Darjeeling tea vulnerable

It is true that the ongoing agitation and the subsequent bandh in the hills of Darjeeling under the auspices of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for Gorkhaland have victimized a number of social sectors. But the worst affected has been the Darjeeling tea which is highly famed in the international market and has a steady market overseas. The tea industry of the region has become out of gear and also vulnerable since none knows when the current trouble will end. What is more people are getting frustrated and it seems to them there will be no such end in the near future.

However, the demand of the international market can’t get diminished and this stark reality has increased the significance of the Assam tea whose export rate has become almost exponentially high in the last few days. This is evident from the fact that recently the Calcutta airport witnessed its largest single consignment of tea when 48 tones of the same Assam tea were loaded in one airline.

The annual production of tea in Darjeeling is 10-11 million kg while, on the contrary, of Assam tea is 450 million kg. But 70 per cent of Darjeeling tea is exported to the worldwide market comprised of US, the UK, Germany, Japan and other developed countries where the demand is massive. In this context the rate of export of Assam tea is 20 per cent but earns for the state around Rs 1,000 crore annually. Again, Assam’s premium quality tea costs around Rs 200 a kg in the international markets, compared to Rs 800-1000 for the second flush Darjeeling Tea.

Whatever it is if this impasse continues the credentials of Darjeeling tea will suffer a jolt and may find it tough to regain its position, once glorified.

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080620/jsp/frontpage/story_9437836.jsp

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