White Tea

• 29 Jul 2019

The Golokpur tea estate in Unakoti district of Tripura set a record for selling maximum quantity of white tea.

• White tea (minimally processed) is harvested even before the plants leaves unfurl fully with the buds still covered by fine white hairs, hence, the name white .
• India accounts for 14% of global tea exports and nearly 20% of the tea produced in the country is exported, according to Tea Board India.

India and Tea Production

• The largest consumer of tea in the world
• The second largest producer of tea in the world
• The fourth largest exporter of tea in the world

Tea Cultivation

• Tea cultivation and plantation is practiced in Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiri Hills of South India and Tarai along the foothills of the Himalayas .

Conditions of Growth

• Climate: Tea is a tropical and sub-tropical plant and grows well in hot and humid climate.
• Temperature: The ideal temperature for its growth is 20°-30°C and temperatures above 35°C and below 10°C are harmful for the bush.
• Rainfall: It requires 150-300 cm annual rainfall which should be well distributed throughout the year.
• Soil: The most suitable soil for tea cultivation is slightly acidic soil (without calcium ) with porous sub-soil which permits a free percolation of water.
• Tea is a shade-loving plant and develops more vigorously when planted along with shady trees.
• There is a very close relation between climate, the yield and the quality of tea

Tea Board

• It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce.
• The Board is constituted of 31 members (including Chairman) drawn from Members of Parliament, tea producers, tea traders, tea brokers, consumers, and representatives of Governments from the principal tea producing states, and trade unions .
• The Board is reconstituted every three years.

Function

• Rendering financial and technical assistance for cultivation, manufacture and marketing of tea.
• Export promotion
• Research and Development activities
• Extend financial assistance in a limited way to the plantation workers and their wards through labour welfare schemes.
• Collection and maintenance of Statistical data and publication.