Tea

Imagine you’re sitting in the morning with a hot cup of tea. Ever wondered what exactly you are drinking?

• Tea is not a fruit, not a seed, but a dried leaf of a bush.
• This leaf contains caffeine, tannin, and theine—natural stimulants. This is what makes you feel refreshed after sipping it.

Now, this tea bush is originally from China, not India. The British, who ruled India, saw its potential and introduced tea cultivation in India around 1840. The first commercial plantations were started in Upper Assam, near the Brahmaputra Valley. From there, tea spread to places like Darjeeling, Nilgiris, and the Terai region.

☀️🌧️ What Does Tea Need to Grow?

Tea is a sensitive crop. It wants the right climate, the right soil, and the right kind of care.

Climate: The Most Critical Factor

Tea thrives best in a hot and humid climate—this is non-negotiable.

• Temperature: Between 20°C to 30°C is ideal. Less than 10°C or more than 35°C? The plant suffers.
• Rainfall: Tea loves frequent, gentle showers—150 to 300 cm of rainfall, evenly spread through the year.
• Humidity: High humidity, morning fog, and heavy dew accelerate the growth of young tea leaves.
• Frost: Tea bushes are very sensitive to frost. So, a frost-free climate is a must.
• Shade-Loving: Tea prefers partial shade.

Soil

• Tea loves well-drained, deep, loamy soil.
• Best soils are those rich in humus and iron, often from virgin forests.
• Slopes are ideal, not just for drainage but to avoid water stagnation, which can kill the roots.
• Special soil compositions in places like Darjeeling—rich in phosphorus and potash—give the tea a unique aroma and flavour.

🧑‍🌾 Labour: The Human Backbone of Tea Industry

Tea is a labour-intensive crop—from planting, to pruning, to plucking, and finally, processing.

• Women form the majority of the workforce in tea gardens. They pluck the top 2-3 soft leaves, which are used for making tea.
• Pruning is done regularly to maintain height and encourage new shoots.
• Tea is processed on-site to retain freshness.
• There are two main types:
  • Black Tea: Fermented.
  • Green Tea: Unfermented.

🇮🇳 Where is Tea Grown in India?

Let’s walk through the geographical spread in India like a map tour.

A. North-Eastern India: The Tea Heartland

This is the biggest tea-producing region in India—about 75% of national production comes from here.

Assam — India’s No. 1 Tea Producer (around 50%)

• The Brahmaputra Valley is the jewel. Ideal conditions:
  • Summer: ~30°C, Winter: Never below 10°C.
  • Rainfall: 300–400 cm over 9 months.
  • High elevation (around 450 m) keeps tea safe from flooding.
• The Surma Valley (Cachar district) adds 5% more but has slightly less ideal conditions.

West Bengal — Second largest producer (around 25-30%)

• Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Koch Bihar are key areas.
• Darjeeling Tea is world famous for its special aroma—thanks to:
  • 300 cm rainfall,
  • rich potash and phosphorous soils,
  • cool, misty weather at 900–1800 m elevation.

B. South India: High Productivity, Lower Quality

• Includes Nilgiri, Anamalai, Cardamom, and Palani Hills (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka).
• Accounts for 25% of India’s tea, but 44% of land under tea.
• Productivity is higher, but the flavour is milder than Darjeeling or Assam.
• Ideal climate: >400 cm rainfall, uniformly warm, frost-free.
• Tamil Nadu leads in South India, followed by Kerala and parts of Karnataka (Hassan, Chikmaglur).

C. North-West India: Lesser but Noteworthy

• Tea is grown in Dehradun, Almora, Kangra Valley.
• Kangra Valley in Himachal produces green tea.
• Also cultivated in Jharkhand (Ranchi, Hazaribagh) in small amounts.

🧭 Why Did Tea Not Expand Beyond Darjeeling?

Let’s look at why British efforts failed beyond Darjeeling in the Shivaliks and Lesser Himalayas:

• Altitude problem: Areas >1800 m were too cold; risk of frost.
• Rainfall issue: Rainfall decreases from east to west; Western Himalayas were too dry.
• Labour supply: Plantation Act allowed bonded labour in Darjeeling—not elsewhere.
• Port proximity: Darjeeling is closer to Kolkata port, aiding trade.
• Tribal regions like HP and Doon had lesser scope for large plantations.

So, although British had plans from Assam to Himachal, the natural and logistical factors worked only up to Darjeeling.

🌏 Tea Trade and Decline of British Monopoly

• In the 17th century, British controlled tea from India, China, and Sri Lanka.
• London became the tea capital.
• But the 1773 Tea Act imposed taxes on American colonies → led to Boston Tea Party → sparked American Revolution.
• After India’s and China’s independence, British tea trade collapsed.

🇨🇳 Tea in China: The Global Leader

• China is the largest tea producer ( around 40% of world).
• Tea is grown mainly in Yangtze and Sikiang valleys.
• Like India, the region has monsoonal climate, hilly terrain.
• But rice remains the primary crop, tea is secondary.

📉 Challenges in Indian Tea Industry

• Domestic consumption rising, exports declining.
• 90% bushes are over 40 years old, yield is dropping.
• Port of Kolkata is the main export hub, others include Chennai, Mangalore, Kochi.
• Russia, UK, and USA are key importers of Indian tea.

✨ Summary

Factor	Ideal Conditions for Tea
Temperature	20–30°C; frost-free; not below 10°C or above 35°C
Rainfall	150–300 cm (some places >400 cm), evenly spread
Soil	Deep, well-drained loam; rich in humus, potash, iron
Topography	Hill slopes preferred for drainage and air circulation
Labour	Cheap, abundant, skilled; women play a key role
Altitude	600–1800 m; varies by region