Tea Industry in Assam & Improvements

The tea industry in Assam is over 170 years old and produces about 1/6th of the tea in the world! This shows how important the tea industry is to Assam both on a historical and economical level. Tea flourishes very well in Assam because of this state’s geographic properties. The Brahmaputra River is an area of clay soil full of rich nutrients, which provides a great foundation for tea plants. Also, Assam’s climate varies between cool, arid winters and warm, humid seasons of rain which provide ideal conditions for growing tea. Because of these geographic properties approximately 1,500 million pounds of tea are yielded annually by the tea estates of Assam. While, the tea industry is quite developed there are a number of ways to enhance the visibility of Assam tea and make it the most popular beverage in the world.  

 Every state or region in a country is known for a specific product which is known as the brand name. In case of Assam, it is the tea. Whenever I visit any grocery store in my home city of Dallas, Texas, I come across the Assam tea. When I see the nicely packaged tea with Assam in bold letters, my heart fills with pride and joy. Assam tea also has an interesting and long history.

 The tea industry originated after the annexation of Assam by the British in 1826. Robert Bruce was a Scottish gentleman who introduced the tea plantations in the early 19th century. During this time, numerous workers from distant places such as Odisha and Andhra, were recruited to work for this industry. These people brought their diverse cultures along with them which then morphed in the culture of Assam today. An example of this, is the Jhumur dance which many tea workers perform when taking a break from plucking the leaves. Not only does Assam tea have a historical importance but it also has a cultural importance. Assamese music icon late Bhupen Hazarika, composed a number of songs on the tea tribe community. There are also a number of books written about the lush tea gardens and the workers there.

The tea is produced through an intricate and complex process. Over winter break last year I actually visited a tea production factory in Biswanath Chariali, Assam. While I couldn’t see it in action because it was closed, I was still awed by the efficiency and organization of the factory. First, there are many laborers who hand pick thousands of tea leaves all over the plantation. In order to speed up this process, tea bushes are limited to a waist high level for easy picking. Then, the leaves get weighed and transported to the main factory. Once the leaves are in the factory, the next step is called withering. During this process, the leaves are cleaned and then laid out to wither overnight. Moving on, the tea leaves are then dried and oxidized. Finally, the leaves are poured on to conveyer belts and then stored to be sold to markets.

 One of the biggest contributions of tea towards Assam’s economy is small tea growers. These growers are providing employment to thousands of Assamese youth across the state. Small tea growers plant tea in a relatively small area of land. Once the tea leaves are ready they are carried to larger tea gardens for processing. That way even a youth with little capital can open a tea garden. He just needs a piece of land.

 The Assam tea industry is quite successful but there are some components of it that can be improved. First, the tea industry can be improved is by using organic and sustainable farming methods. I recently have come across a lady from Canada named Peggy Carswell. For the last seventeen years, Peggy Carswell has revolutionized farming in Assam for the better. Before, many farmers were accidently using harmful pesticides and substances when producing tea. They would mix and over apply these substances due to not being able to comprehend the English instructions. These pesticides can cause various illnesses and diseases, from respiratory problems to cancer. Also, since producing tea is an intensive monoculture process, it creates many environmental hazards such as soil degradation and the excessive use of fossil fuels. Fortunately, Ms. Carswell showed these tea growers and farmers how to grow tea organically. She did this by establishing numerous training centers and workshops to promote this practice. In these workshops, she taught the workers about using local seeds, composting, pest management, and crop rotation. This was made possible through organizations who worked with Ms. Carswell, such as Fertile Ground and North East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), which helped open more centers and provide training to the workers. Because of her hard work and improvements to Assam’s agriculture, Ms. Carswell was awarded the 2016 Prize for the Women’s World Summit Foundation (WWSF). This shows that Peggy Carswell has made a major impact to Assam. If her practices would be spread even more too all areas of Assam then the tea industry would improve drastically. Also, combining efforts with those of Uddhab Bharali would improve the tea industry. Mr. Bharali once said “I believe that if an innovator can’t come up with a solution in forty eight hours, he is not dedicated to the project and will not come up with a good solution even if the next one year is spent on it.” This quote shows how Mr. Bharali is a dedicated and determined inventor who can really make a change for the better. If his skills would be applied to the tea industry, many improvements will come.

 The second way the tea industry can be improved is through the involvement of organizations such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Bioversity International. These organizations can expand upon the methods of Peggy Carswell and provide even more sustainable methods to producing tea. The Bioversity International organization focuses on rain-fed farming systems instead of using fossil fuels, which can not only be more sustainable to the environment but also produce more tea yield. The FAO is a United Nations based organization which aims to increase the sustainability of agriculture and the productivity.

 Third, there is also a way to improve the small tea growers’ gardens. As of now, they are dependent on the bigger business homes. In fact, they are at the mercy of these big factory owners who can lower the price of the tea leaves at any time. There are instances when small tea growers, throw away the tea leaves because they do not get a good price. One possibility is, providing low cost equipment to process the tea leaves. In fact, referring back to Uddhab Bharali, he is creating a prototype that with help from the Assamese government can help improve on this issue.

 In conclusion, the tea industry is very important to Assam on many levels. It is important historically, culturally, and economically. It can be improved in many ways such as combining efforts with people like Peggy Carswell and Uddhab Bharali. It can also be improved through help from organizations such as FAO and Bioversity International. Finally, it can be improved through solving root problems such as improving the small tea growers’ gardens. When we wake in the morning we always drink tea. It is important to not take it for granted and to understand its background. This is why Assam tea is so important and let’s hope it is still just as important for many years to come!