清晨上班，泡一杯大吉岭红茶，蓦然发现玻璃杯中的汤色，竟难得地泛出些许红意，于是想，这也算对得起这大吉岭的红茶之名了。 大吉岭红茶可谓久闻大名。从我第一次买到祁门红茶，到后来弄了一包锡兰红茶，MR. Z 就一直跟我念叨，大吉岭红茶才是真正的红茶之王。到后来跟着经理去见MR. LOCHAN，终于刨到这包大吉岭~~~  很久很前，看过一本外国人编的茶叶书，书中讲诉了印度茶叶的起源。传说清末，印度已经沦为英国的殖民地。当时英国大量从中国进口茶叶。在贸易逆差的不平等情况下，英国人处心积虑想要移植中国的茶叶。但是单纯的移植都以失败告终。这时，有位代号为A的英国人，化妆成为中国人（对此细节我表示非常十分以及极其的怀疑。。。），在中国呆了20年，终于学会了中国的茶叶种植技术，于是他带领中国的茶农和茶种回到了印度，终于成功在印度这片土地上种植出了茶叶。 而这片种植出的茶叶，会不会就是现在的大吉岭红茶呢？ 第一次喝大吉岭，不是记忆中带些桂圆香气的红茶味道，倒是有些像乌龙茶的香气。去查资料，发现大吉岭也像绿茶，有着时间上的讲究：3、4月份的大吉岭属于first pick，多为青绿色。而后的second pick才是大吉岭茶的精品，汤色橙黄，上品更带葡萄香。只不过很可惜，在饭桌上，送我们茶叶的lochan已经很清楚地告之：this is first pick. 直到MSN上再次遇到，传说要努力长一脸白胡子的lochan告诉我，其实大吉岭茶就是中国的武夷岩茶。大吉岭的茶种来自中国武夷山。 茶叶是一种独特的饮品，时间和地点都会让他带上自身独特的气质。武夷山的茶漂洋过海到了遥远的印度，讲求中庸之道的中国茶叶在神秘的大吉岭土地上顽强存活，高山云雾和15C的平均温度赋予了崭新的内质。岩茶就如它的英文名cliff，带着些碳焦的刺激。而大吉岭，却有着温淳的香气，和些许的回甘。 不过啊，拿着那包就快喝完的大吉岭，想想还好当时没告诉送我茶叶的未来白胡子爷爷，其实。。。最不喜欢的就是乌龙茶。。。。 大吉岭红茶店铺：http://www.chinashop.lochantea.com/frameset.htm  |
June 24, 2008
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China
Jane’s Cabin…大吉岭红茶，印度的武夷岩茶2008-06-24 11:16
June 23, 2008
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India
Farewell at Doke…
Yesterday, all of us, Sanyog’s family and the French students and Jenny went to Doke to celebrate the completion of Tea course to the first batch of foreign students.
It was Audrey’s birthday too, so the fun was multiplied and kids really enjoyed. My mother was especially happy to see the luxurient growth of tea leaves there.
June 21, 2008
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Pasricha report - Download (MP3)Political Unrest In India’s East Affects Tea, Tourist Industry
New Delhi
20 June 2008
Pasricha report - Listen (MP3)Political unrest in India’s eastern hills is hitting the famed tea and tourist industries in the region. Anjana Pasricha, reports from New Delhi, India is the world’s largest tea producer.
June is usually one of the busiest months across hundreds of tea plantations that lie on the Darjeeling hills in India’s West Bengal state.
It is the time of the year when workers are busy plucking fresh leaves off blooming tea bushes.
But a strike called by the ethnic “Gorkha” group demanding a separate state has raised fears that exports of the famed Darjeeling tea will be hit this year.
Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM)activist participates in demonstration, 13 Jun 2008
The protest has disrupted transport links, blocked roads, and shut down many businesses.
Rajiv Lochan, secretary of the Siliguri Tea Traders Association, says the strike has
affected operations in the region’s tea estates.
“There is a drop in production, there is a drop in quality which is a very serious concern because this is the best time for production, and we are not able to pluck the leaves in time from the bush, so the disruption in the plucking season has greatly impaired the quality,” Lochan said.
The industry estimates that it is piling up losses of half a million dollars a day due to the strike, and exports could be down by 25 percent this year.
The region produces about 10 million kilograms of high quality brews – the fragrant Darjeeling teas are considered the finest in the world. Much of it is exported to the
Middle East, Pakistan, Russia and Germany.
Tea is not the only industry to be affected by political unrest in the region.
Tourists have also been scared away from the region after protestors blocked a key highway. Thousands who were in the hills when trouble broke out earlier this month left
the region. Others have cancelled bookings.
About half a million tourists visit the region every year in the summer months.
The tea and tourism industries are the mainstay of the local economy in the region.
India accounts for about one-third of the global production of tea. Not all of it is grown on the Darjeeling hills – there are sprawling tea estates in other hilly regions as well.
The protestors have warned their strike will continue until the federal government opens talks with them.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-06-20-voa16.cfm
June 20, 2008
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USA
Marshall’s Quiz…
So, while my tea stuff are still being unpacked, I have been subsisting on a few samples kindly provided by Mr. Lochan of Lochan Tea. These are all 2008 first flush FTGFOP darjeelings, or “Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe”. There are a total of 8 samples, and I’ve only tried two, numbered 3 and 4. It’s quite interesting brewing teas you know very little about. I remember once upon a time, when I was first exploring the world of tea, when first flush darjeelings were one of my favourites — especially the greener kind that gives a nice fragrance. I’ve since left that world and pursued other kinds of teas, but brewing some of these reminded me why I liked them in the first place.
I use a 300ml (or thereabouts) yixing with a generous but not over the top amount of leaves, and pour them into a big mug to drink. I suppose you can think of this as a cross between my usual brewing and a more English style, although brew times are short — under a minute at most, usually about 15-30s. The teas are obviously very high quality, especially sample 4. A nice depth and overall very fine fragrance, qi, and body. They are also quite long lasting — sample 4 I brewed for two days. Wikipedia says a joke for FTGFOP is “Far too good for ordinary people”. I can see why…. and I’d imagine this stuff doesn’t come too cheap.http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN/662249673/item.html
June 19, 2008
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France
Some fresh air…
Vincent from France sent this photo tonight which was a breather since all the news comming in at the moment are so grim about Darjeeling.
He attended a small food expo in his native town in France and had this makeshift booth in that, which allowed him to display his teas and wares. A journey of thousand miles begin with one step only.
We wish him all the best. And we are so proud of him as he is one of us.
June 18, 2008
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Darjeeling shutdown to hit tea export
By Soudhriti Bhabani
Darjeeling, June 18 (IANS) India’s most famous commodity export, Darjeeling tea, is being hit hard by the shutdown in the Himalayan region where it is grown. The country is losing Rs.20 million ($470,000) a day. The delay in plucking of leaves and transport of tea for export auctions due to the ongoing Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) sponsored shutdown in West Bengal’s Darjeeling hills will get worse if the indefinite shutdown continues and will give an edge to tea from Sri Lanka, say traders.“It is impossible for us to continue work at any of the tea gardens in Darjeeling although the tea estates are outside the purview of the shutdown. There is no transport available and life has come to a standstill,” Siliguri Tea Traders Association secretary Rajiv Lochan told IANS.
“If people are so agitated, how will the work continue? The industry is thoroughly disturbed and we expect tea exports to fall drastically this time. Production will decrease and the quality of tea, which is the only trademark of Darjeeling tea, will definitely deteriorate,” he added.
The indefinite shutdown that began Monday evening has paralysed life in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling district – Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.
Each day of shutdown means a loss of Rs.20 million ($470,000), Lochan estimated. It is especially galling because exports of Darjeeling teas were targeted to rise 20-25 percent over last year’s six million kg. But now the industry is looking at a 20-25 drop in exports, Lochan said.
Over 70 percent of the 10 million kg of tea produced by the 87 tea gardens in Darjeeling is exported. Though Darjeeling tea accounts for only 7-8 percent of India’s tea exports, which were worth Rs.1.85 billion ($407.42 million) in 2006-07, it fetches 5-6 times the price of the usual CTC (crush, tear, curl) tea.
Of the 10 million kg annual production, the best one million is produced in June, the well-known “second flush” of tea leaf pickings that start with the beginning of the monsoon rains.
The shutdown means uncertainty for over 50,000 permanent workers in the tea gardens, and no wages for around 100,000 temporary workers.
“Since the movement started from February this year, the tea industry has suffered a lot. The best plucking season starts mid-May and continues upto mid-June but the shutdown has badly affected the plucking of second flush tea,” Lochan said.
Second flush tea is the prime quality tea, highly priced in the international market.
Indian Tea Association joint secretary Sujit Patra conceded that the shutdown would have an adverse impact on tea export.
“Not only Darjeeling tea, but Assam tea will also face hassles in reaching Kolkata, because of the road blockade,” he said.
“The tea will not reach Kolkata in time for the auction. So there will be a ripple effect on the tea market in India and overseas. There is a big possibility that Sri Lankan tea, which also has a huge international market, will stand to gain as Darjeeling tea suffers losses,” Patra said.
He said the affect of the Gorkhaland movement on the tea industry “is a very serious issue and should be addressed” by the state government.
Tea is one of the three pillars of Darjeeling’s economy along with timber and tourism.
Following the recent flare-up, all three have been hit.
Tea consumption is very high in India. According to a rough estimate, the per capita consumption of tea is about 700 gram per year.
The industry overall is also registering a year-on-year growth of nine percent. India exports Rs.20 billion worth of tea annually.
The GJM has been leading the movement in the hills for a separate state, besides opposing the Sixth Schedule status for Darjeeling district that ensures greater autonomy to the district’s governing body – the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/darjeeling-shutdown-to-hit-tea-export_10061435.html
June 17, 2008
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India
Gorkha stir hits tea industry Newswire18 / Kolkata June 16, 2008, 5:09 IST Darjeeling tea, known all over the world for its aromatic brew, has been badly hit at its peak production period by the agitation for a homeland by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha in the hills of West Bengal, Aditya Khaitan, president, Indian Tea Association, said last.
“This is the peak season for the tea industry in the sense that the best quality of tea from Darjeeling and Dooars region of West Bengal come out of the gardens. If the crisis is not resolved soon, the transport of tea from Assam gardens would also be affected,” Khaitan, who is also the managing director of McLeod Russel India, said.The agitation began in the Gorkha stronghold in Darjeeling earlier this week. But it has snowballed into a major crisis, with clashes breaking out in Siliguri, a major logistics hub in north Bengal which connects Darjeeling and Assam to the rest of the country, following a counter protest by Amra Bangali opposing the GJM’s demand.
“Siliguri is an important transport hub for the tea industry of West Bengal and Assam. If normalcy in Siliguri does not return soon, it would become difficult to bring tea from Assam,” Khaitan said.
Assam is the largest producer of tea in India, contributing to almost half of the country’s total output of 945 million kg in 2007 while West Bengal accounted for 25 per cent.
Khaitan declined to give any figures when asked about the quantum of losses the tea industry has been suffering because of the agitation. But media reports have quoted Siliguri Tea Traders Association Secretary Rajiv Lochan as saying that the industry was losing an estimated Rs 20 million everyday because of the shutdown.
Although West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has started efforts at a consensus by announcing an all-party meeting on June 17 and hinting that the GJM was likely to be invited, Khaitan expressed doubts on an early resolution of the crisis.
“What we have learnt is that West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has already rejected the demand for a separate Gorkhaland. It that scenario, it appears that the crisis might linger on for sometime,” Khaitan said.
June 16, 2008
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Unrest to cut Darjeeling tea exports 20 pct: trade
By Sujoy Dhar
KOLKATA, India (Reuters) – Exports of premium Darjeeling tea may fall 20-25 percent this year as political unrest in the hill region has shut banks and disrupted transport in the peak of the plucking season, an industry official said.
The Gorkhas, who are ethnic Nepalis, are demanding that a separate state called “Gorkhaland” be carved out of the eastern state of West Bengal to protect their culture and heritage.
Strikes and protests have roiled the region for a week, and thousands of tourists, another mainstay of the local economy, have been forced to cut short their trips.
“There is utter chaos in the hills and we are losing over 20 million rupees ($470,000) a day,” Rajiv Lochan, secretary of the Siliguri Tea Traders’ Association, told Reuters on Monday.
At least 1,200 people died in the first Gorkhaland campaign in the 1980s, but protests ended a few years later after Gorkha leaders accepted limited autonomy.
Exports of Darjeeling teas were targeted to rise 20-25 percent over last year’s 6 million kilograms but now the industry is staring at substantial losses from a year ago.
“We estimate exports will be down 20-25 percent over last year,” Lochan said.
Tea from Darjeeling accounts for seven percent of India’s tea exports and the region churns out about 10 million kg of high-quality brews famous for their flavor, and which fetch 5-6 times the price of normal CTC (crush, tear, curl) tea.
Most of it goes to the Middle East, Pakistan, Russia, and Germany.
Protesters have exempted tea gardens from strikes, but with banks closed and transport hit, trade has been affected at a key time.
The peak harvesting season for Darjeeling tea is April-June, after which the quality deteriorates and prices fall. Rains in May kick off the so-called “second flush” of fresh leaves.
“This is the season of the second flush, when the best quality tea is produced,” Basudeb Banerjee, chairman of the state-run Tea Board, said.
(Editing by Krittivas Mukherjee)
http://www.reuters.com/article/gc08/idUSDEL16845320080616?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
June 15, 2008
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India Tea Tour…
It is the love of Tea, which forces Dan Robertson to be a bridge between two great tea cultures of the world, one being famous for Green and another for Black teas, namely in China & India.
Luck brings them to us this year and we await them with great mirth to have them among us in October 2008.
And our responsibility lies in presenting them a tea scenario which should be comparable with that of China.
June 14, 2008
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India
Strike hits tea, tourism in Darjeeling hills
Friday, 13 June 2008
REUTERS, KOLKATA, India – Protesters clashed with police in India’s rolling Darjeeling hills on Thursday as a strike over demands for a separate state hit the region’s tea and tourism industries, police and officials said.
Gorkhas, who are ethnic Nepalis, demand a separate “Gorkhaland” be carved out of West Bengal to protect their culture and heritage.
Supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Gorkha People’s Liberation Front) urged tourists to leave the hills, a popular destination as temperatures soar on the plains below, to avoid getting caught up in the protests.
They have eased a ban on tourist buses for two days.
In the foothills to the south near the town of Siliguri, supporters of the ruling communist government of West Bengal said tourists had been beaten up by Gorkhas.
They called a parallel strike, blocked roads heading north and ransacked Nepali homes, officials and a Reuters photographer said.
“The communist government in the state is trying to starve us by cutting supplies,” said Bimal Gurung, who is leading the Gorkha agitation.
“We will not back out from our demands and our agitation will continue peacefully.”
Ethnic Nepalis were singled out and police used batons and tear gas to contain clashes in which dozens of people were injured, police said.
“The Gorkhas were chased away by the Bengali speaking people from the plains who are opposed to the statehood (demand),” K.L. Tamta, a senior police officer said.
The violence has badly hit another mainstay of the local economy, the region’s vast tea gardens which ship highly-prized and fragrant brews around the world.
“This is the best time to pluck the high quality leaves, but the strike has hit us hard and we are losing 20 million rupees ($470,000) a day,” Rajiv Lochan, secretary of the Siliguri Tea Traders’ Association, told Reuters.
At least 1,200 people died in the first Gorkhaland campaign in the 1980s, but protests ended a few years later after Gorkha leaders accepted limited autonomy.
Tour operators have warned tourists to avoid Darjeeling for the time being.
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