Rebranding Assam tea

At a time when Assam is about to begin celebrating 200 years of commercial production of tea, Indian Tea Association (ITA) Chairperson Nayantara Palchoudhuri has called for rebranding Assam tea in order to recapture the global market that it once so gracefully dominated. Her take is that while the name and fame of Assam tea are spread far and wide, and its worldwide popularity and acceptance are phenomenal, what is of concern is its failure to maintain its grip on the global market. Assam’s Orthodox and CTC teas, with their full-bodied and malty taste can be more sought-after overseas if efforts were re-channelized at rebranding it in right earnest, she has said. The ITA Chairperson’s call has probably come at the right moment. While celebrating 200 years of Assam tea is one very significant aspect, another, more important aspect is that Assam’s tea industry is currently facing a number of challenges. Extreme weather conditions, an increasing overhead burden, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have all added to the woes of the industry. Another factor that has been pointed out time and again by the industry is the poor response to tea drinking by the younger generations. Coffee, it has been said, has begun occupying a lot of space which had earlier belonged to tea, thus affecting the overall domestic consumption of tea in India. According to the ITA Chairperson, given the new challenges faced by the tea industry, attention should now be directed towards marquee estates producing the best tea that are sustainably certified and can be promoted under the Assam logo of a Gold Standard in the international market. But then, there is good news too. As has been pointed out by the ITA Chairperson, domestic consumption of tea in 2022, which was estimated to be approximately 1179 million kg, has registered an annual increase at a rate of 2.32 percent. Citing Tea Board reports, she has also said that at present, per capita consumption of tea stands at 850 grams, which is a significant increase from 786 grammes in the previous year. With this positive indication coming in, she has also called for a joint initiative with the participation of all stakeholders in the value chain to create a positive impact on increasing consumption patterns in the years ahead.