Tripura has marked a major milestone as 15,300 kg of locally produced tea begins its journey to the European market, highlighting improved quality standards, government support, rising tea prices, worker welfare initiatives and renewed efforts to strengthen the state’s tea industry.
Tripura’s tea industry has reached a significant milestone with the dispatch of 15,300 kg of standard-quality tea for the European market, marking the state’s growing presence in the international tea trade. The consignment was flagged off on Friday at a function held at the Durgabari tea garden, where senior officials and stakeholders gathered to mark the occasion.
Kiran Gitte, Secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, along with other dignitaries, formally flagged off the dispatch. The consignment will first be transported to Kolkata, from where it will be shipped onward to the European market.
In addition to the international shipment, an 8-metric-tonne consignment of Tripura tea was also flagged off for the domestic market. Tripura Tea Development Corporation Chairman Samir Ghosh described the development as an important achievement in the state government’s efforts to establish Tripura-grown tea in international markets.
Ghosh said the exact European destination for the consignment has not yet been finalised, but expressed confidence that tea produced in Tripura would be able to establish itself in the international market.
He said the export-bound tea had undergone careful processing and quality monitoring to ensure that it met the requirements of foreign buyers. According to Ghosh, tea intended for overseas markets has to meet 48 different parameters, and considerable effort had been made from the beginning of the production and processing stages to ensure that Tripura tea qualified under the required standards.
“This is a recognition of the hard work” put in by tea garden workers, technicians and everyone associated with the production process, Ghosh said, highlighting the collective effort behind the export milestone.
The Tripura Tea Development Corporation currently has five tea gardens under its management. Of these, three gardens collectively produce around 9 lakh kg of tea annually. Corporation-produced tea is traditionally sold through auctions in Kolkata and Guwahati.
However, the state’s tea industry has faced financial difficulties in the past, particularly because the selling price of tea remained below production costs. The situation began receiving renewed attention after the present government came to power in 2018, with greater emphasis placed on improving the tea sector, production practices and market opportunities.
Ghosh said the price of Tripura tea has increased significantly over the years. Tea that previously fetched around ₹70 to ₹100 per kg is now selling for approximately ₹200 per kg, providing better returns to the industry.
The Corporation has also placed special emphasis on maintaining quality through proper monitoring of tea gardens and production processes. The latest export-bound consignment is being viewed as an important outcome of these efforts to improve the quality and marketability of Tripura-grown tea.
Alongside efforts to improve production and marketing, the government has also focused on the socio-economic welfare of tea workers. According to Ghosh, workers are receiving 22 types of benefits, while land pattas have also been provided to tea workers as part of welfare measures.
The daily wages of tea workers have also been increased to ₹204, reflecting efforts to improve their economic conditions. The government and the Corporation are also working towards establishing an auction system within Tripura for the sale of locally produced tea.
The proposed state-level auction system is expected to create additional employment opportunities and provide benefits to tea producers, workers and traders involved in the sector. A local auction platform could also reduce dependence on markets outside the state and strengthen the domestic marketing network for Tripura tea.
The dispatch of the 15,300-kg consignment comes at a time when Tripura is seeking to expand the reach of its agricultural and plantation products beyond traditional markets. The move is expected to give greater recognition to the state’s tea production and encourage further efforts to meet international quality requirements.
The development also reflects the renewed focus on a tea industry that, according to officials, had faced neglect and financial challenges for a prolonged period. Improved prices, quality monitoring, worker welfare measures and efforts to develop new marketing channels are now being pursued to strengthen the sector.
The international shipment is therefore being seen not merely as the movement of a single consignment but as an important step towards creating a wider market for Tripura-grown tea. The successful entry of the state’s tea into European markets could potentially open further opportunities for producers and encourage greater investment in quality improvement and marketing.
The function was attended by Biman Saha, Assistant Director of the Tea Board of India, social worker Shibendra Das, officials of Tripura Tea Development Corporation Limited and other stakeholders involved in the promotion and marketing of Tripura tea.
Rajesh Kumar Das, Managing Director of the Tripura Tea Development Corporation, delivered the welcome address, while Gopal Chakraborty, former member of the Tea Board, proposed the vote of thanks.
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With the 15,300-kg consignment heading towards the European market, Tripura’s tea industry has taken a notable step towards expanding its international footprint, while continued efforts on quality, worker welfare, pricing and local auction infrastructure are expected to further support the sector’s growth.
