Tea, the ultimate stimulating agent, originated in China was considered as the best health drink by the Chinese emperor. Assam is the utmost producer of tea, festooned with a large number of tea estates. Assam and Tea are actually synonymous to each other. Measured as one of the major tea producing arena, the state of ‘blue hills’- Assam hosts numerous tea estates, with a total production of 360 million kg. Almost all of Assam’s Tea Gardens are positioned in the Upper Assam and Southern Barak Valley Region.
The inception:
Assam can be regarded as the birthplace of India tea. In 1823, Robert Bruce discovered the growing tea plant in the region, about 165 years ago. The first 8 chests of India tea that were highly appreciated in the London auctions were sent from Assam in the year 1839.
The present Scenario of Assam Tea Estates:
Today, the economy of Assam is tremendously based on its Tea. Offering the finest quality of tea, the Assam’s tea can be categorized into first flush and second flush tea.
As the most prolific tea-producing regions in the world Assam is proudly producing approximately 1.5 million pounds (680,400 kg) of tea. It is a pleasure to know that today more than 100 tea estates in Assam are accountable in producing a large portion of total tea in India. Full bodied tea with good malty flavour of Assam tea can be categorized into two types:
(1) Orthodox
(2) CTC (Crush, Tear and Curl).
Some prominent Tea Estates of Assam:
Williamson Tea Estates and the estates owned by the Tata Group of Companies. Other renowned tea estates in Assam are the bi, Talap, Amguri, Ginjia, Gogaidu and Ananda tea estates.
