Brewing woes: Kangra tea industry faces uncertainty

Tea has been cultivated in the Kangra valley since the mid-19th century. It was first introduced between 1830 and 1840 by European planters under the Nissan Tea Company. The valley produces hybrid China tea, celebrated for its rich flavour and aroma — often compared favourably with some of the finest teas in the world.

In its early years, the Kangra tea industry flourished, thanks to the valley’s ideal agro-climatic conditions and abundant land. Seeds imported from China thrived in the region’s grey podzolic soil, which has a pH of around 5.4. Few know that Kangra tea won a gold medal at the London Exhibition in 1886 and until the devastating earthquake of 1905, it was rated among the finest teas globally for both flavour and quality.

The 1905 Kangra earthquake, however, dealt a fatal blow to the industry — destroying plantations, razing factories and claiming the lives of several tea planters. Declared an unsafe zone by the British administration, the valley soon saw the exodus of almost all European planters, who sold their estates to Indian owners.

Further setbacks followed. The First World War (1914) drained the region of labour as many locals joined the army, discouraging the few remaining planters. Later, as the princely states were reorganised, tea cultivation declined even more and vast estates were left neglected.

By the mid-20th century, Kangra tea had lost much of its once-flourishing market. The Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971 severed trade routes with Afghanistan — one of its key markets — further deepening the crisis.

Once popular across Europe, Central Asia, Australia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Kangra tea has seen a steady fall in both production and prestige. Annual output, which once touched 17-18 lakh kg, has now dropped to around 9-10 lakh kg. In recent years, production figures have fluctuated — rising slightly to 10.87 lakh kg in 2020 but dipping again below 10 lakh kg in 2021-22 before recovering last year. Currently, about 1,400 hectares of land are under tea cultivation, up from 1,100 hectares a few years ago.

Until 2001, the government provided technical and financial support — offering subsidies on fertilisers, equipment and pesticides. But after the withdrawal of these subsidies and the shelving of the much-hyped revival master plan, the industry was left to fend for itself.

As tea cultivation becomes increasingly unprofitable, the once-verdant plantations are being replaced by housing colonies, hotels, tourist resorts, shops and even religious structures. What was once the pride of the valley — and a symbol of its colonial heritage and craftsmanship — is now fighting to stay alive.