A new generation of tea entrepreneurs is promoting retail brands, specialty tea, and tea tourism to revive Kangra’s past glory.
India has endorsed four tea origins for protection under Geographic Indication (G.I.). But Kangra, added to the list in 2005, is less renowned than Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiris. It has rarely been seen as a terroir to contend with or a source of single-origin tea, even after winning new international recognition this year, when the European Union, too, granted it G.I.
But it has potential to develop. Kangra Valley is located in north India, in the foothills of the Dhauladhar mountains, which are part of the western Himalayas, in the state of Himachal Pradesh. About 2,300 hectares are planted in tea in Kangra and other parts of the state, in both estates and gardens cultivated by small growers, according to the latest survey by the Himachal government. There is one cooperative, 15 estates and 1,526 small growers, with 11 bought-leaf factories.
About 90% of production is orthodox black tea, and the rest is mostly green. Production of specialty tea began about 10 years ago. Kangra tea is grown at elevations ranging from 1,250 to 1,525 meters above sea level. There are three seasons: the April flush, from March to mid-June, followed by the monsoon season and autumn. Production totals about 900,000–1,000,000 kilograms per year, led by orthodox black (80%), green (18%), and specialty (2%) teas.
Kangra tea has its own terroir and style. The first flush black tea and the green tea tend to command more attention than other styles. The green in particular is underrated. Made in the Chinese style, and with chinary bushes, it produces a light cup with distinct vegetal flavors. Some estates produce oolongs, and they are extremely flavorful.
Past turbulence
Kangra’s tea history goes back to the East India Company. The valley became part of British India in 1849, following the second Anglo-Sikh war after which the British annexed Punjab. That same year, William Jameson, superintendent of the Botanical Gardens at Saharanpur, visited the valley, pronounced it suitable for tea cultivation, and sent saplings to be planted. The chinary tea cultivar was planted here and it took root well. A small but thriving plantation community emerged, and the tea made here found favor in European markets.
Good times lasted for about half a century. In 1905, an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude — one of the most severe earthquakes ever recorded in the Himalayas — hit the valley, destroying most buildings and killing some 20,000 people. Overnight, the valley lost its industries. British tea planters closed up shop and left, selling their land and ruined factories to local people. The tea sector was crippled.
The first half of the 20th century was tumultuous, with two world wars, and the movement that led to India’s independence and partition in 1947. In the early years of independence, Kangra was part of Punjab State, and its tea sector languished. Then in the 1960s Kangra was made part of Himachal Pradesh State. This proved beneficial.
The government set up four cooperative tea factories between 1964 and 1983, in Palampur, Bir, Sidbari, and Baijnath. In 1994, an auction center was set up in Amritsar to facilitate trade. Despite these measures, however, Kangra struggled to develop its tea economy. Three of the four cooperative factories shut down, and the auction center closed in 2005 due to poor sales. Wars with Pakistan and troubles in West Asia throttled Kangra tea’s nearby markets.
Un-cooperative
India’s cooperative movement began in the early 20th century, gained pace after independence, and has been extensively embraced in agriculture. A cooperative functions well if members work together effectively to meet a common need. In tea, the priority is typically establishing a factory, which small farmers cannot afford to develop on their own. In Kangra, each of the four coops set up factories.
Unfortunately, Kangra’s cooperatives faltered. Even the single cooperative that still stands is “barely surviving,” according to tea planter Dinesh Butail. He says it has 600–700 members, of which only around 300 supply green leaf during April and May. After those months, most growers sell to private factories instead. The coop’s factory has a capacity to produce 150,000 kilograms of tea annually, but it is making less than half that much, rendering it economically unviable.
One buyer told STiR that Kangra needs a new and better type of coop. The valley’s cooperatives failed because they were quickly politicized, according to this buyer, who asked not to be named. The groups were not sufficiently democratic and participatory, and members did not work together. But he believes that a coop run by local people could be successful if done right, as it has been in the case of the Mineral Springs Cooperative in Darjeeling, West Bengal State.
Kangra would also benefit from having more bought leaf factories because there are lots of smallholders. STGs have two options: sell green leaf to factories, or make tea to sell themselves. Many choose both.
One small grower is Abhimanyu Sharma, who worked as a mechanical engineer elsewhere before returning to Kangra. His great-grandfather had become a tea garden owner in 1905, after the earthquake. The family stopped cultivating tea in his grandfather’s time but kept the garden. So, in 2020 he decided to revive 10 hectares on which the original china bushes grew.
He set up a small factory, attended courses in tea tasting, and focused on manufacturing high-fired orthodox black tea. Last year, he produced about 5,000 kilograms, of which he sent 60–70% to Kolkata, after the auction started to include small factories. He sells the remaining tea locally under his own brand, Aanya Tea.
Resources
Many small growers produce small volumes of hand-rolled and pan-roasted green tea. That’s an old Kangra tradition now. Back when the British planters left, the locals who bought their tea estates tried to keep the industry running, but few could afford to restore the factories. It was possible, however, to produce green tea with just a minimal amount of machinery. And fortuitously, green tea is a style well suited for the chinary bushes planted here. Kangra’s green tea found ready markets in Russia, West Asia, and Central Asia for many decades.
Unlike Darjeeling, where the original chinary bushes were long ago replaced with hybrids and clonal tea plants, Kangra is still home to 150-year-old china bushes. “Kangra gets a lot of sun, and our soil is acidic,” explains Deepak Prakash of Wah Tea Estate, the largest garden in Kangra.
Producers and buyers alike agree that Kangra’s planting material is top-notch. “The climate, the characteristic terrain and soil conditions, and the coolness of the snow-clad mountains in Himachal’s Kangra region, all play a big role in crafting a flavory and distinct cup of quality tea which is different from other tea growing regions,” says Madhav Sarda, whose Golden Tips brand offers a line of single origin teas from across India.
Kangra’s potential has not been fully developed, however, because the area lost its tea culture and tradition of tea-making so long ago, unlike Darjeeling or Assam. Growers revived black tea production in the 1960s, but it became a tea for blending, and not a tea to put Kangra on the map.
New gen
One of Kangra’s other resources is a new generation of planters and entrepreneurs who are committed to reviving the tea industry. They display a greater unity and camaraderie than seen among tea growers elsewhere. They have chosen to diversify — into producing specialty tea, going retail, hosting tea tourism. These initiatives have become value streams, and they have helped Kangra gain mindshare among consumers.
The Wah Tea Estate, owned by the Prakash family, cultivates tea on 182 hectares (450 acres). Located in Palampur, the estate produces orthodox black tea, green tea, and specialty tea. In 2016 Surya Prakash and his wife Upasana started an eponymous retail brand.
In 2019, they decided to shift base from Kolkata to Kangra to become resident planters. It allowed them to start a hospitality wing, The Lodge at Wah, which offers six rooms. Himachal’s Land Ceiling Act prohibits the use of estate land for a resort or any other purpose besides tea planting, so the lodge itself is across the road. Guests can tour the estate, picnic, or taste tea at the on-site lounge. There is also a cafe overlooking the garden. Wah Estate’s retail arm and hospitality have generated new revenues and brought more attention to its tea.
Another prominent Kangra name is Dharmsala Tea Company, which owns the estates of Mann, Hoodla, and Towa. It is located about an hour from Palampur, at a higher elevation, in Dharamsala. It too, has a retail arm offering a range of teas, including infusions and herbal blends. The brand’s packaging features illustrations using Kangra’s distinctive style of miniature painting. Dharmsala Tea Company also offers hospitality, including tea tours, tea blending sessions, and tea picnics.
An estate called Manjhee Valley has 101 hectares (250 acres) under tea cultivation, owned by the family of Anamika Singh, a popular tea sommelier. Their brand, Anandini Himalaya Tea, offers a range of single-estate teas and flavored blends.
The Raipur Tea Estate has been owned by the Sud family for a few generations, but it had long been closed down. In 2006, Rajeev Sud, who was born in Singapore, decided to move to Kangra to revive the factory. Although he relies mostly on bulk production for sale at the Kolkata auction, he created a brand called Himalayan Brew that is known for innovation. “We have a large retail chain and a fully functional package unit. While some of our tea goes to auctions and some to our brand, we also experiment constantly. I travel abroad every year to see what’s happening outside, come back and experiment.”
The new gen planters took their first steps toward building a market by promoting it at home in Kangra, where consumers needed to be introduced to the style and flavors of local tea. It is slowly finding its footing and making its presence known elsewhere. Sud takes this mission seriously, hosting pop-ups where he offers novel products like green tea gelato, nine-spice masala gelato, and kombucha.
Challenges
Kangra struggles to hire enough skilled labor. Pluckers are all migrant workers from Jharkhand State. The factories need tea makers having experience. Distribution is also a problem. Currently, all tea produced here is trucked to Kolkata some 2,000 kilometers away. The journey is long and expensive. Cargo transport costs as much as Rs 12–15 per kilogram of tea.
Some planters are pessimistic about the tea estate business. Dinesh Butail’s family arrived here in the 1800s and worked on tea estates as managers before becoming planters themselves. They established the Bundla Tea Estate in 1947. Today, they cultivate tea on 252 hectares. He says that the high cost of running a large tea estate makes it unviable. He believes that “quality tea” could help save Kangra if properly developed. But real estate and hospitality, not tea, will probably end up rescuing the valley, as seen on the eastern side of the Himalayas in Darjeeling. He notes that in its heyday, Kangra had many times as much land under tea as today.
Buyers are more optimistic. Many believe that Kangra’s leaf and bush quality are assets that can be developed using better agronomy and manufacturing. There needs to be a way to create newer and more viable business models, for both the estates and the increasingly dominant small tea growers. Production volume needs to be increased.
Given these conditions, Kangra could be positioned as a niche producer, with an emphasis on its green tea. It should not mimic Darjeeling, lest it be seen merely as a substitute for the better-known origin. Kangra needs to reclaim its place in the Indian tea spectrum. Says Sarda, of Golden Tips: “I like Kangra tea for its unique taste and fragrance, attributed to seasonal varieties. The first flush black tea is preferred for its light liquor, subtle aroma, and fruity flavor.” His company was established in Darjeeling in 1935, but he buys Kangra tea to offer his customers options from the western Himalayas.
Ultimately, Kangra’s biggest strength and unique selling proposition is its green tea. With a strong and long legacy of green tea production, with leaf that is ideally suited to make this style of tea, and with a market that can be explored, Kangra’s green tea could well reinvigorate the local industry.
