Darjeeling, Jan. 18: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s demand that every packet of Darjeeling Tea should have “Gorkhaland” printed on it is likely to have little effect as 60 per cent of the brew is exported.

“The export product is sent as loose tea in chests. What the packaging people do after it reaches them is beyond our control,” said a producer.

Two of the major companies that package Darjeeling Tea for domestic markets are Hindustan Lever and Tata Tea, a source said. “It is unlikely that they will have the word Gorkhaland printed on the packets as their domestic business will not be affected by what is sold in the Darjeeling area,” he said.

Most hill gardens do not have packaging units. “Those that do have, outsource the work to people in Calcutta. The packets that are sold in Darjeeling amount to hardly anything,” said a tea trader.

Those who are likely to be directly affected are a handful of local traders who buy loose tea from the gardens and pack them in aluminium foils with the name of the estate and the shop. “The amount of tea that is sold from these outlets is insignificant for the gardens but is a lot to that particular local trader,” said another trader.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: “At the end of it, we want all packets to bear the word Gorkhaland.”

The hill party’s demand that it would collect all revenues paid by gardens to the Centre and the state seems to be a non-starter too. “The only tax that is paid by the gardens is the central excise duty on tea at the rate of 12 paise for every kilogram. If the Morcha prevents the paying of this tax, the consignments will not be allowed to go for auctions,” said a planter. “Ultimately, the gardens will suffer for non-payment of tax, whether it is charged by the state or Centre.”

Basudeb Banerjee, the chairman of Tea Board, refused comment: “These are political demands and I cannot say anything.”

Houses of Morcha supporters burn in Jalpaiguri.

Jan. 17: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today lifted its hill bandh but not before party chief Bimal Gurung said every packet of Darjeeling Tea would have to carry a Gorkhaland label.

“We have, so far, taken the path of non-violence as advocated by Gandhiji. But considering the state of affairs, we would not think twice to take the path of Subhas Chandra Bose,” he added.

“We have designated the Nari Morcha (the women’s front) to open counters in the tea estates of the hills and ensure that no revenue flows out too,” he added.

Home secretary Ardhendu Sen said in Calcutta that the government was keeping a close watch on north Bengal.

Darjeeling, Jan. 16: Union minister of state for commerce and power Jairam Ramesh today announced a Darjeeling GI Tea Park in the hills with an initial investment of Rs 10 crore.

“I want the land for the park to be identified by February 10 and the first phase of work completed within 12 months. The activities in the centre would be cleaning, grading, sorting and packaging,” said Ramesh.

“If such a centre can be set up in Germany, it can definitely be done within the Darjeeling Tea growing area. I always believe that the local people should be involved in any value addition activity that will contribute to the local economy,” said Ramesh.

A planter explained that a tea park was a centre that catered for the needs of buyers. “Once we export our products to different countries, it is not that they start selling them in the condition that they receive the goods. They are sorted and graded according to needs and checked to see if the certification process has been completed. Once set up, the tea park will perform all these functions. It will help provide custom-made product.”

The minister said the Kurseong-based Darjeeling Tea Research Centre had been allotted Rs 5.5 crore in the 11th Plan. “This is a significant amount for the centre and I hope it will be beneficial for the industry.”

Basudeb Banerjee, chairman of the Tea Board of India, admitted that the research centre had not been functioning properly. “The centre had been without scientists for some time. But now we have now managed to get five scientists for the centre and core issues for the industry like soil fertility and erosion would be looked into,” said Banerjee.

Following a casual suggestion from Sanjay Bansal, the chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association, on the need to institute an award for planters, Ramesh immediately said: “It’s done. I expect the details to be worked out before February 10. If it is ready, I will come to Darjeeling before March 10 to give it away.” The model code of conduct for the general election is likely to be operational from March 10.

The minister stressed that re-plantations should take place on a faster pace. “Earlier the rate of plantation was 0.5 percent but of late it has increased to 6 per cent. Even at this rate, it would take around 8-10 years for total re-plantation. But the planters must complete the task within four to five years,” said Ramesh. Of the estimated 10,000 hectares, about 1,300 hectares have been replanted by the Darjeeling industry, he added.

Ramesh said the registration of Darjeeling Tea as a Geographic Indicator product in the European Union would be completed by October.

Ramesh (third from left) lays the foundation stone for the North Bengal Tea Park in Siliguri on Thursday. (Kundan Yolmo)

Siliguri, Jan. 15: Jairam Ramesh today asked tea planters in north Bengal to tap markets abroad rather than be content with sales in other parts of the country.

The Union minister of state for commerce and industries said although around one-fourth of Indian tea was produced in the region, the brew manufactured in the Dooars and the Terai had no foreign markets.

Ramesh, who laid the foundation stones of the first Tea Park in the country and an inland container depot or dry port at New Jalpaiguri, said: “There are several potential markets in the overseas and the planters of the region should explore them instead of remaining satisfied with selling tea to northern, central and eastern states in the country.”

With a separate logo for the tea grown in the Dooars and the Terai, Ramesh said, the planters here had increased chances of export, but the only thing was that they had to meet the stiff challenges posed by producers in Kenya and Sri Lanka. “The focus should be on the production of quality tea and the park to come up here can play a key role in augmenting the export.”

According to the minister, Russia, England and West Asian countries are the main markets for CTC tea, produced in bulk across the country. “The demand for CTC tea has increased in at least four other countries, namely, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan, over the past few years. We are doing well in Egypt and are likely to grab the markets in two other countries. But there are some restrictions on doing business with Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks. We are hopeful that the bilateral trade with Pakistan will resume soon.”

On the closed tea gardens in the Dooars — only two of 14 estates are functioning now — Ramesh said central and state governments had constraints in re-opening them as there were many court orders which in essence made the possible takeover of the plantations difficult.

Bengal ministers Nirupam Sen and Asok Bhattacharya were present at the ceremony.