Indian Tea - Assam CTC and Orthodox, Darjeeling, Nilgiri clusters in India
| Cluster | State / districts | Type | Season | Export gateway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kochi spice trade hub (Mattancherry) / Wayanad | Kerala; Karnataka — Idukki; Wayanad; Kozhikode (KL); Kodagu; Chikkamagaluru (KA) | agricultural | Harvest Dec-Feb (ASSUMPTION) | Cochin |
| Upper Assam estates; Guwahati Tea Auction Centre | Assam — Dibrugarh; Tinsukia; Jorhat; Sivasagar; Golaghat | agricultural | First flush Mar-Apr; second flush May-Jun; rains Jul-Sep; autumnal Oct-Nov (ASSUMPTION - standard flush calendar) | Kolkata/Haldia |
| Darjeeling hills (87 gardens); Kolkata/Siliguri auctions | West Bengal — Darjeeling; Kalimpong | agricultural | First flush Mar-Apr; second flush May-Jun; autumn Oct-Nov (ASSUMPTION) | Kolkata/Haldia |
| Coonoor auction centre; Kochi auction | Tamil Nadu; Kerala; Karnataka — Nilgiris; Coimbatore (TN); Idukki; Wayanad (KL); Chikkamagaluru (KA) | agricultural | Year-round plucking, peak Apr-Jun & Oct-Dec (ASSUMPTION) | Cochin |
Cluster notes
Pepper exports 20,830 t / USD 124.54 mn (2024-25 revised final); 19,806 t / USD 137.84 mn (2025-26 final) - Spices Board item-wise (tier 1) Assessment: India is a net importer of pepper in some years; exports of value-added (sterilised, white, oleoresin) grow; price-competitive vs Vietnam only on premium grades
India tea exports 254.67 mn kg CY2024 (+9.92%) per Tea Board via PTI; 257.88 mn kg FY2024-25 at Rs 290.97/kg (Tea Board via IANS); North India exports 161.20 mn kg FY25; Assam-specific split: unavailable Assessment: Bulk CTC to UAE/Iraq/Iran/Russia; orthodox premium to EU/US; India is #2 exporter (2024, Tea Board)
GI: YES - Darjeeling Tea (India's first GI, 2004; registry not re-verified). unavailable in this session (Tea Board region-wise table not fetched) Assessment: Premium/protected-origin product; Germany, Japan, UK, US; low volume, high value (volume: unavailable)
South India exports 100.68 mn kg CY2024 (+11.02%) - Tea Board via IANS (tier 5) Assessment: South India exports ~100 mn kg CY2024 (Tea Board) mostly bulk/low-price; opportunity in flavoured/iced-tea grades
Associations and directories
Export promotion and producer bodies relevant to indian tea - assam ctc and orthodox, darjeeling, nilgiri: Spices Board India; Tea Board India.
Frequently asked questions
Which Indian state produces the most indian tea - assam ctc and orthodox, darjeeling, nilgiri?
Our cluster data lists Kerala; Karnataka, Assam, West Bengal as the main sources; see the table for districts and seasons.
When is the indian tea - assam ctc and orthodox, darjeeling, nilgiri season in India?
Kerala; Karnataka: Harvest Dec-Feb (ASSUMPTION); Assam: First flush Mar-Apr; second flush May-Jun; rains Jul-Sep; autumnal Oct-Nov (ASSUMPTION - standard flush calendar).
How do you verify indian tea - assam ctc and orthodox, darjeeling, nilgiri suppliers?
We check registrations (GST, IEC, FSSAI or BIS where relevant), visit the unit, review past export documents and test a sample lot before listing a supplier.
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