Agartala, Sept 11: Tripura’s tea industry has taken a significant step towards the international market with the dispatch of a 15.31-metric-tonne consignment to Europe, marking the state’s first reported tea shipment to the European market.

The consignment, comprising 15,310 kg of tea, was flagged off on Friday from the Central Tea Processing Factory at Durgabari in West Tripura. The shipment will be routed through Kolkata before being sent to European destinations.

Industries and Commerce Secretary Kiran Gitte, Tripura Tea Development Corporation Limited (TTDCL) Chairman Samir Ranjan Ghosh and Managing Director Rajesh Kumar Das were present at the flag-off ceremony.

TTDCL officials described the shipment as the corporation’s largest single outbound tea consignment so far. The latest consignment is being viewed as a sign of expanding commercial prospects for Tripura’s tea sector.

Ghosh said the European shipment represents an important milestone in efforts to take Tripura tea to markets beyond the state and the country. He said greater access to international buyers could open up new avenues for tea growers and producers while strengthening the commercial profile of Tripura’s tea industry.

The state government is simultaneously working on plans to establish a tea auction centre in Agartala, aimed at improving market access and helping tea growers and manufacturers secure better prices for their produce.

According to officials, the proposed facility would bring growers, manufacturers, brokers, buyers, warehouses and other stakeholders together on a technology-enabled platform. Electronic bidding is expected to promote greater competition and improve price discovery for Tripura tea.

Tripura currently has 54 tea gardens, comprising estates operated by the state-owned sector and cooperative institutions as well as privately owned gardens.

Around 2,800 small tea growers account for nearly 30 per cent of the state's total tea production, which is estimated at around 90 lakh kg annually. More than 60 per cent of the state's tea output is currently marketed through auction centres outside Tripura.

According to a government press release, Samir Ranjan Ghosh, Chairman of the Tripura Tea Development Corporation Limited, who presided over the function, said that the Corporation currently has five tea gardens under it.

The tea produced by the Corporation is sold in Kolkata and Guwahati through auctions. In the past, due to various reasons, the selling price of tea remained lower compared to production costs, causing the tea industry to face numerous financial difficulties. After the formation of the present government in 2018, special emphasis was laid on the development of the tea industry. 

As a result, the selling price of tea has also increased significantly. While tea earlier sold for around 270 to 100 per kg, it now fetches around 200 per kg. Tea is currently being produced under proper monitoring of the gardens and production process, with special emphasis on maintaining quality. After being neglected for a long time, the state's tea industry has received renewed attention under the initiative of the present government.

He said that various government benefits are being provided for the socio-economic development of tea workers. Along with 22 types of benefits given to workers, land pattas have also been provided to tea workers. Additionally, the daily wages of tea workers have been increased to 2204. Initiatives have also been taken to set up an auction system for selling Tripura-produced tea within the state itself. Once the tea auction system is established in the state, it will create new employment opportunities alongside benefiting producers, workers, and traders associated with the tea industry.

Others present at the function included Biman Saha, Assistant Director of Tea Board of India, social worker Shibendra Das, officials of Tripura Tea Development Corporation Limited, and distinguished stakeholders associated with the promotion and marketing of Tripura tea. The welcome address was delivered by Rajesh Kumar Das, Managing Director of the Corporation, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Gopal Chakraborty, former member of the Tea Board.