CITU State conference starts at Haldia Darjeeling Tea to be trade marked

A system for the protection of Darjeeling tea-called certification trade mark scheme for Darjeeling- as a produce of a geographical indication of India has been formally launched by the Tea Board, a statutory body under the Union Ministry of commerce and industry, government. All producers, packers, exporters, overseas importers of Darjeeling Tea will now have to apply to the Tea Board as per by all users. The procedure to obtain a users licence has been devised in a manner which is both user friendly and simple. The aim and objective of the whole effort is to ensure that the sale of Darjeeling tea in a particular year throughout the world is to be within the limit of the total opening stock and the production of the said tea during the same period to prevent misuse of the Darjeeling name. The interests of producers, traders, importers and the consumers will be fully protected under the scheme, according to officials.

Tea has been cultivated in the district of Darjeeling, India since 1835 and due to the unique and complex combination of agro-climatic conditions such teas have a distinctive and naturally occurring quality and flavour which they expect from Darjeeling tea. This necessitated developing a system for the protection of Darjeeling tea.