Tea Growers Red Flag Surge In Imports of Substandard Tea

ENA Sectors 2025-01-22 16:26:45 New Delhi, Jan 22 (KNN) In a bid to protect India's tea industry from substandard imports, the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Association (CISTA) has urged Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to take immediate action against the growing influx of low-quality teas from countries like Kenya and Nepal. CISTA, in its recent letter, expressed concern that these imports not only threaten the quality of Indian tea but also disrupt domestic market dynamics, including demand and pricing. According to CISTA President Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, data from the Kenya Tea Board reveals a staggering 288 per cent increase in tea exports from Kenya to India between January and October 2024. From just 3.53 million kg in 2023, imports from Kenya surged to 13.71 million kg, with the tea being used primarily for blending and even re-exported as Indian tea to global markets. Similarly, India imported 13.66 million kg of tea from Nepal in 2024, much of it being sold domestically without the rigorous quality checks that Indian-grown teas undergo. CISTA has highlighted the disparity between Indias strict regulatory measures for domestic tea and the lax controls on imports. While the Tea Board has implemented early closure measures over the past eight years to tackle oversupply, the unchecked flow of imported tea undermines these efforts, making it harder to manage supply and maintain quality. The association warns that this situation could soon lead to a flooding of the market with cheap, inferior-quality teas, which could affect the reputation of India's century-old tea industry. The letter also noted the regulatory void where imported teas, particularly from Nepal, enter the market unchecked by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). While domestic producers face stringent controls, these imported teas are not subjected to the same level of scrutiny, posing a significant challenge to the industrys sustainability. CISTAs appeal comes at a critical juncture as the Indian tea sector, already battling oversupply, faces even greater competition from lower-cost imports that could undermine both the quality and price of domestically grown tea. (KNN Bureau) 40753 https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/sectors/tea-growers-red-flag-surge-in-imports-of-substandard-tea 2025-01-22 16:26:45 knnindia.co.in Tea Growers Red Flag Surge In Imports of Substandard Tea