With no doubt, Darjeeling tea is one of the finest tasting teas in the world. Darjeeling first flush is a true enhancement in a cup. The flush emerges after few months of dormancy is very rich in antioxidants and of course it’s extremely healthy. Even later flushes are really good in taste. But this wonderful tea origin hasn’t deserved her true value due to price decline during this season.

As The Telegraph had reported, some of the international buyers, especially from Japan, stopped blending Darjeeling tea because of uncertainty over availability.

Prateek Poddar, director of Poddar HMP Group, owner of Namring garden, said “There is hardly any demand this year from Japan. Prices are low too. I have not seen such a situation in a decade”.

Japan is one of the main buyers of Darjeeling first flush tea. The nation, which is the largest market for Ready to Drink tea, used to source around one million kg of tea out of 8.5 million kgs of total production. Export to Japan has now been halved. Tea planters say many blenders who used Darjeeling tea in their blend, have shifted to tea from Nepal or Indonesia. I personally feel this might be due to restrictions for blending after Darjeeling origin been registered under PGI (Protected Geographical Indication).

As Mr. Kausik Basu, secretary-general of the Darjeeling Tea Association mentioned “We have warned about the long term impact of the strike in 2017. It is being felt now. The absence of Darjeeling tea has opened up possibilities for cheaper and inferior quality Nepalese tea,” 

The prices of brokens and fanning, which are consumed in the domestic market, and utilized for tea bags have been hit the most. More tea has arrived to auction this year compared to 2018, indicating a lack of private sale. Moreover, nearly 40% of tea remained unsold at the auction, a sign of tepid demand according to The Telegraph . Production is higher in 2019 by 10% , which has depressed the prices further.

As a true tea enthusiast who loves this wonderful tea, I hope that Indian officials will take necessary actions like Promoting tea further in main markets, penetrating in to new markets, follow strategies to increase local consumption in order to regain the old momentum of Darjeeling.

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References

1.Original Post: https://www.telegraphindia.com/business/darjeeling-tea-suffers-price-erosion/cid/1692705