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Section 21

Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Jorhat

Dibrugarh, Assam · Farm produce

Assam tea (CTC and orthodox)

sourced figures
5
main products
4
businesses to start
6

The story

Tea cultivation in Assam began in the 1820s after wild tea bushes were found in the Brahmaputra valley, and the lowland climate of heavy rain, heat and loamy soil gives Assam tea its strong, malty taste. Upper Assam districts such as Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Jorhat hold most of the big estates and factories, along with bought-leaf factories that buy from small growers. Assam (Orthodox) tea is a registered GI.

In numbers

  1. Assam produces more than half of India's tea, about 700 million kg a year.

    Tea Statistics Report 2023 (Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Govt of Assam) · 2023

  2. Of the 801 tea estates surveyed in 2023, Dibrugarh had 177, Tinsukia 122 and Jorhat 88; almost 70% are in Upper Assam.

    Tea Statistics Report 2023 (Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Govt of Assam) · 2023

  3. The 801 estates employed 6,86,439 workers in plantations and 1,04,274 in factories in 2023.

    Tea Statistics Report 2023 (Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Govt of Assam) · 2023

  4. Dibrugarh district had 73 bought-leaf tea factories with a turnover of about Rs 400 crore and employment of 1,175.

    Brief Industrial Profile of Dibrugarh District (MSME-DI, Ministry of MSME) · 2013

  5. Tea exports from Assam were Rs 1,858.75 crore in FY26, 45.88% of the state's exports.

    Assam: State Economy and Industries (IBEF) · 2026

GI tag

Ways in for a newcomer

  • Bought-leaf factories buying from small tea growers
  • Speciality, orthodox and flavoured tea packing
  • Supplies to estates: fabrication, spares, fertiliser, packaging
  • Tea tourism and estate stays

Problems the cluster faces

  • Fluctuating auction prices and rising costs
  • Climate change affecting output
  • Low vendor development: estates and PSUs buy most stores from outside Assam

Businesses to start here

Tea Blending and Packing Unit →Green Tea Processing Unit →Masala Tea (Chai Masala) Unit →Organic Green and Herbal Tea Cultivation →Agro-Tourism Farm →Engineering Workshop (Job Work and Repairs) →

Sources (4)
  1. Tea Statistics Report 2023 (Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Govt of Assam)
  2. Brief Industrial Profile of Dibrugarh District (MSME-DI, Ministry of MSME)
  3. Assam: State Economy and Industries (IBEF)
  4. Registration Details of Geographical Indications (GI Registry, IP India)