The story
After Darjeeling, planters cleared the forested foothills of the Dooars and Terai for tea, where flat land and heavy rain allowed large estates. The belt mainly makes CTC tea for the Indian mass market, sold through the Kolkata and Siliguri auctions. Small growers now supply green leaf to bought-leaf factories alongside the big estates.
In numbers
The district profile lists 54 tea garden units in the Dooars and Terai among the large industries of the district.
Brief Industrial Profile of Jalpaiguri District, MSME-DI Kolkata, Ministry of MSME · 2012
Ways in for a newcomer
- Set up a bought-leaf factory buying from small growers
- Tea blending and packing for regional brands
- Supply fertiliser, pruning tools and transport to estates
Problems the cluster faces
- Low auction prices for CTC tea
- Closed and sick gardens and worker welfare issues
- Elephant corridors and floods
Businesses to start here
Tea Blending and Packing Unit →Tea Stall →Masala Tea (Chai Masala) Unit →