As part of the two-step process, importers have to apply through the Tea Council portal ‘well in advance’ for a certificate to import teas. While Panitanki near Siliguri at the Indo-Nepal border accounts for the lion’s share of Nepal imports, Tuticorin and Cochin ports are being used for Kenyan tea imports. Nepal teas, which share characteristics with Darjeeling teas because of close geographical proximity, have often been blamed for the dwindling fortunes of gardens on Bengal’s hills. The proposal of the Tea Board for enhanced monitoring appears to be following the playbook of Sri Lanka, where tea imports pass through strict compliance checks before hitting the market. In November, this newspaper had reported that more than half of imported Nepal tea failed food safety standards, prompting the industry to demand stricter monitoring.

Source: The Telegraph January 04, 2026 02:26 UTC