Centre Pushes for Sustainable, Traceable Tea Production at National Conference in New Delhi

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday called for a major shift in India’s tea sector, urging the industry to adopt modern farming methods, organic practices, and eco-friendly packaging to strengthen the country’s position in global markets.

Speaking at the National Conference on “Safe Tea Production: Policy, Compliance & Sustainable Practices”, organised by the Sankala Foundation in collaboration with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Goyal stressed the need to move beyond raw leaf exports and focus on high-value, branded finished products. He said such reforms were essential for India’s growth trajectory toward Viksit Bharat.

Goyal highlighted several priorities for the sector, including climate-smart agriculture, digital traceability to prevent adulteration, and adoption of innovative global marketing strategies such as trade fairs, exhibitions, and new-age tea blends. He also underlined the importance of supporting the children of tea garden workers through better education and skilling, alongside mechanisation and robust pest- and weather-prediction systems.

Reiterating the Centre’s commitment to the sector, the minister cited the ₹1,000-crore support package for tea growers and the Chai Sahayak App as key initiatives. He called for stronger collaboration between the government and the industry to build an innovative and competitive tea ecosystem.

FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani, in his inaugural address, announced that India is finalising Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for the tea sector in alignment with global Codex standards. He said new MRLs had been added based on data from the Central Insecticides Board and the Registration Committee. Stressing the importance of farmer awareness, Punhani said, “We want farmers to be informed and empowered so they adopt safe and sustainable practices right from the field.”

Tea Board of India Chairperson and Additional Secretary in the Commerce Ministry, Nitin Kumar Yadav, emphasised the need to revisit MRL thresholds, update regulatory notifications, and fast-track safe alternatives to hazardous pesticides. He called for stronger information, education and communication (IEC) initiatives, multilingual training modules, mobile advisories, and digital traceability systems across the supply chain. He noted that India must convert its natural strengths—diverse agro-climatic zones, longstanding scientific expertise, GI-protected regions, and a large domestic market—into lasting competitive advantages.

National Human Rights Commission Secretary General, Bharat Lal, highlighted the labour-intensive nature of tea production and urged the sector to prepare for stricter global norms on sustainability, labour, and climate. He stressed the need to protect small tea growers from being disproportionately affected by new international regulations.

The conference also saw the release of a handbook on Safe Tea Practices for small tea growers.

Joint Secretary (Plant Protection) in the Agriculture Ministry, Muktanand Agarwal, noted that tea growers are now covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, allowing access to highly subsidised insurance premiums. He added that new FSSAI-approved MRLs for key pesticides would help reduce sample failures and bolster India’s global credibility.

Speakers from FSSAI, the Central Insecticides Board, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Darjeeling Tea Research Centre, Tata Consumer Products, Wagh Bakri Tea Group, and small growers’ associations participated in technical sessions that focused on improving safety, quality, and sustainability standards.

The conference aimed to empower India’s Small Tea Growers, who contribute nearly 52% of the country's total tea output, to enhance productivity, strengthen market access, improve price realisation, and build robust, globally credible brands.

India, the world’s second-largest tea producer after China, accounts for 23% of global tea production and 10% of global exports. Tea continues to be one of India’s most deeply rooted agricultural sectors, central to both the economy and daily life.

The recommendations emerging from the conference are expected to shape future policies aimed at strengthening India’s tea value chain, protecting workers, and ensuring that Indian tea remains synonymous with quality, purity, and sustainability.