Types of Indian Tea, Production and Marketing of Traditional and Handmade Teas of Assam, India

Abstract

Teas are classified in various ways depending manufacturing process, convention, technique and market available form. An exhaustive classification based on market available forms classifies Indian teas into eleven broad categories. Assam is a place of origin of tea, wild tea plants were discovered in Assam in 1823 and tea plantations started since 1837. Some of the indigenous tribal people of Assam had the habit of drinking tea prepared in their traditional form and the Singphos call such tea as phalap. Entrepreneurs of small tea growers who are a major force to reckon with in Assam tea at present are producing organic (called natural) handmade and traditional forms of teas which are gaining popularity world over. Organic certification, technical guidance in production and marketing are some of the problems faced by the producers of the handmade and traditional teas who are almost entirely small tea growers. Such teas are of special character with high quality. Demand for these teas is growing both internally and in global market and has huge market potential. Entrepreneurial handmade and traditional tea producers are putting their efforts to popularize and market such forms of tea in India and globally overcoming the challenges.