Assam's Manohari Gold Tea Sells For A Record Rs 99,999 Per Kg

• Manohari Gold Tea, a rare variety of tea in Assam has once again created history by breaking its own record as it was sold for ₹1 lakh per kilogram on Tuesday at Guwahati Tea Auction Centre.
• In 2020, the tea was auctioned at ₹75,000 per kg at Guwahati Tea Auction Centre .

Benefits of this tea:

• Many types of antioxidants are found in this tea. Apart from this, they contain bioactive compounds that help in controlling the effects of ageing and obesity.

Why it is so expensive:

• The tea leaves are broken before the sun’s ray’s fall between 4 and 6 in the morning. Its colour is light beige and the leaves are plucked along with the buds. Thereby giving different flavor to the tea.

Important Information about Tea:

• India is world’s second largest tea producer after China. In 2007-08, India’s estimated tea production was 8 Lakh metric tons.
• In 2007, in India, there was an area of 578568 hectares under tea cultivation. Out of this 458718 hectares was in North India and 119740 hectares in South India.
• Around 4.16 Lakh hectares was under big growers and around 1.62 Lakh hectares was under small growers. Half of Indian Tea comes from Assam.
• Recently, in its 15th biennial general meeting, the North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) has asked the state government to declare tea as the state drink. It also demanded that the state government should “persuade” the Central government to declared tea as a national drink. NETA comprises the small and medium tea growers in the state. Some facts noted, (which are correct):
• Assam alone produces 51% of the country’s tea and 13% of the world.
• Tea is already the national drink of Britain and China.
• Tea should be awarded the status of both state and national drink because of the sheer popularity of the beverage and the long history associated with its cultivation in the state.
• About 800 million kg of tea is consumed annually in the country, its consumption increasing annually at the rate of 3.3%.
• 85% households in the country consume tea, making India the largest tea consuming country in the world.
• In terms of volume, India is the largest tea consuming country in the world.
• Eighty percent of India’s production is consumed in the country itself, which means 22% of the world’s production is consumed in India.
• Genesis of Assam tea industry is virtually the genesis of Indian tea industry.
• Assam is the birthplace of Indian tea. Total turnover of Assam tea industry is about Rs 5,000 crore.

North Eastern Tea Association (NETA):

• The North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) is an association of tea producers' headquartered at Golaghat, Upper-Assam in the state of Assam, India, and is a constituent member of the Joint Forum and the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA), Assam Valley branch.
• The association promotes interests of its members, in addition to playing a pivotal for the enrichment of the tea industry in Assam.

Tea Board Of India

• Established on 1st April 1954 by the Tea Act (1953), the Tea Board of India is headquartered in Kolkata.
• After being set up under the Tea Act 1953, the Tea Board of India is functioning as a statutory body of the Central Government under the Ministry of Commerce.
• It has also succeeded the Central Tea Board and the Indian Tea Licencing Committee under the Central Tea Board Act, 1949 and the Indian Tea Control Act, 1938 respectively.

Role of Tea Board in India

• As a statutory body of the Central Government, the Tea Board of India has a major role to play for the Indian Tea Industries.
• To export the promotion of tea inside and outside the country.
• Augmentation and improvement of tea production quality by helping the Research and Development activities.
• Providing financial help through the labour welfare schemes to the plantation workers and their wards.
• To assist the unorganised small growers’ sector by providing financial and technical support.