Guwahati: The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce has called on the Tea Board of India to adopt aggressive and diversified strategies to enhance the global presence of Indian teas, including collaborations with international food and beverage chains, extensive digital storytelling, and promotion of Geographical Indication (GI) and speciality teas.
The recommendations were made in the Committee’s 194th report on “Performance Evaluation and Review of some Commodity Boards” presented during the current session of Parliament. The panel emphasised that Indian tea, with its rich heritage and diverse flavour profiles, requires a coordinated global branding strategy to compete in high-value markets.
India occupies second position in the world with regard to area under tea cultivation and is the fourth largest tea exporter in the world.
The Committee recommended targeted promotion of GI teas such as Darjeeling, Assam, and Nilgiris through marketing campaigns, tea festivals, roadshows, and tasting sessions across metropolitan and Tier-II cities to build consumer connect. It also advised the Board to facilitate compliance with international safety standards, including residue testing and certification, to enable exporters to access premium global markets. Tie-ups with retail chains, hotels, and online platforms were suggested to expand international visibility and sales.
Domestically, the panel urged tapping into institutional buyers like railways, airlines, and government departments while promoting speciality and value-added teas to health-conscious and premium segments. It highlighted that export promotion schemes, financial incentives, and simplified documentation processes could further support small and medium exporters in expanding their global footprint. Strengthening market intelligence cells to provide exporters with timely data on pricing, trends, and emerging opportunities was also recommended.
On the branding front, the Committee acknowledged efforts already made through social media promotion but called for larger-scale campaigns highlighting the health benefits, heritage, and sustainability of Indian teas to appeal to young and health-conscious consumers. It further suggested integrating tea promotion with national campaigns like Incredible India and organising High Tea events through Indian Missions abroad on important national days to strengthen India’s tea profile globally.
The report also underscored the importance of diversifying into non-traditional and emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to reduce dependence on a few traditional buyers. It recommended coordinated engagement with high-level international stakeholders and collaboration with other departments for better visibility.
To improve the culture of organic certification and GI tagging, the panel urged the Tea Board to launch grassroots awareness campaigns, simplify certification processes, and provide financial support to cover certification costs. It also recommended capacity-building initiatives such as training programs on documentation and compliance standards, along with setting up local facilitation centres and regional organic resource hubs. Regional workshops in tea-growing belts like Darjeeling, Assam, and Nilgiris were proposed to build pride around origin-based identity.
The Committee emphasised that collective certification through cooperatives and producer groups could reduce individual burden and strengthen traceability. Demonstration plots and knowledge-sharing platforms were also suggested to support producers.
Finally, the panel stressed that region-specific marketing strategies highlighting cultural narratives, flavour diversity, and health benefits should be deployed. It reiterated that collaborations with international food and beverage chains, along with digital storytelling through influencers and visual content, can build strong global brand identities for Indian GI and speciality teas.
Also Read: Tunnels and Teak: Farmers who lost everything to Mizoram’s Railway
Related
Latest Stories
