Darjeeling tea industry seeks Centre’s support amid deepening financial stress
Production dropped from 11.58 million kg in 2008 to almost 5.3 Mkg. In 2025, Darjeeling tea prices also recorded a negative CAGR of approximately 2% between 2018 and 2024, further weakening the economic sustainability of the estates.
Industry executives said that given the current price volatility and rising input costs, the introduction of a comprehensive sustainable pricing framework, including Minimum Sustainable Price (MSP) linked to cost of production and quality, which can also serve as the Minimum Import Price, deserves serious consideration to ensure long-term sectoral sustainability.
Also Read: Basmati rice and tea exports to West Asia come to a halt
Expanding Central and State welfare, agriculture and climate change resilience programs to the organized tea plantation sector, including healthcare, irrigation, crop insurance, rural infrastructure and off-season employment generation support, is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry.
Moreover, as tea is an agricultural crop that is highly sensitive to climate change, it is important that the benefits of schemes under the Ministry of Agriculture such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai yojana, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana are extended to the organized tea plantation sector to help reduce rising climate-related costs. Sector managers said that the Ministry of Commerce was asked to evaluate this support positively and facilitate it.
The industry is also seeking a customized aid package for the Darjeeling tea sector, including working capital interest subsidy and transformation.
