Tea Board pushes for quality check of brew from Nepal

Amid fears that CTC wide variety from Nepal was becoming offered as Darjeeling tea to buyers, Tea Board has asked the Commissioner of Customs, Kolkata (Land), to check out the high quality of brew arriving from that place at FSSAI-accredited laboratories.

According to a Tea Board official, brew from the neighbouring place cannot be banned as the treaty signed in between the two international locations has provisions for its import. Below the treaty, India imports tea from Nepal at zero responsibility, the official reported.

“As the plucking time in Darjeeling has arrived, we have asked the Customs department to check out if the high quality of tea from Nepal conforms to FSSAI parameters,” he explained to PTI on Tuesday.

Arun Kumar Ray, Deputy Chairman of Tea Board, reported the agency has sought support from a laboratory in Mumbai, which can differentiate in between Darjeeling and Nepal teas.

“We have asked the Customs authorities to discard tea coming from Nepal if it does not comply with the FSSAI norms,” Ray reported.

Though Darjeeling creates all over 9 million kg of orthodox wide variety every year, just about an equal amount of money of the brew is imported from Nepal less than the treaty.

Secretary-common of the Indian Tea Affiliation (ITA) Arijit Raha reported that the full volume of tea from Nepal should really be totally checked at the land customs factors. “Any try to market Nepalese CTC wide variety as Darjeeling should really be thwarted,” he reported.

Earlier, Ray experienced reported traceability of Darjeeling tea was a trigger for worry, and the ITA has expressed doubts more than the high quality of tea becoming offered in the sector. He experienced also suggested that the full volume of Darjeeling tea made be offered as a result of auction to explore the serious rate and end unhealthy tactics.

In 2019, all over eight million kg of Darjeeling tea was made, of which 4 million kg was exported.