Jalpaiguri, Aug. 17 -- Handmade white tea produced by small tea growers in Jalpaiguri has fetched Rs.75,000 per kg at a speciality tea exhibition in Delhi, bringing fresh hope to growers seeking to build a market for high-value teas.

The tea was sold at the 'Handcrafted Exotic High-Value Tea' exhibition organised by the Tea Board at DLF Mall in Saket on August 16 and 17. According to organisers, speciality teas from North Bengal attracted buyers and traders, with the Jalpaiguri white tea emerging as the biggest draw. Officials and employees of the US Embassy in Delhi also purchased the tea.

The exhibition, supported by the Tea Board, featured 30 selected small tea growers from across India. Four growers from Jalpaiguri and one each from Darjeeling and Cooch Behar represented North Bengal. They showcased their products under the 'Teesta' brand of the Jalpaiguri Small Tea Growers' Association.

Among them was Dipti Roy, a small tea grower from the Ramsai forest area of Maynaguri. Her group produces green, black, white and blue teas, along with naturally flavoured tulsi tea. Their speciality products are marketed as 'Wildlife Friendly Tea', reflecting their coexistence with the region's wildlife.

"Producing tea in Ramsai is not easy. Elephants and other wild animals frequently move through the area, while the terrain is difficult. Despite these challenges, we are producing speciality tea with care. Recognition in Delhi has given us new hope," Dipti said.

Other handmade tea varieties were sold at Rs.5,000-10,000 per kg, she added.

District Small Tea Growers' Association president Rajat Roy Karji said the achievement reflected the hard work of growers and women's groups in remote areas. Association general secretary Bijay Gopal Chakraborty said the Delhi exhibition could prove to be an important

turning point.

"We are hopeful that speciality teas under the 'Teesta' brand will gain recognition not only in Delhi but also in other major cities and eventually in international markets," he said.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.