From Field to Cup:
Women and their Role in the Tea Sector
Taking tea has become an integral part of our lives. It is as high as 200 crore people, half of whom come from India. Small vendors serving tea is a scene one cannot miss if you are travelling in India. People are paid money to taste the tea. Tea tasting is not a job everyone can do. Since 2005, “International Tea Day” has been celebrated on December 15. Initiatives of India led to the UN adopting a resolution to observe “International Tea Day” on May 21. The observation on December 15 continues, making it two observations every year. The origin of the tea is traced to northeast India, north Myanmar and southwest China. The earliest mention of the use of tea in India dates to 750 BC. For millions of people who work in the tea industry, it is the primary source of subsistence. Teetotaller has nothing to do with tea. It refers to a person who abstains completely from alcoholic beverages. Recall the Boston Tea Party. It paved the way for events leading to the American Revolution. The tea industry faces several challenges, with climate change impacting tea production. Ensuring fair treatment and improving living standards for workers is crucial.
Taking tea has become an integral part of our lives. It is as high as 200 crore people, half of whom come from India. Small vendors serving tea is a scene one cannot miss if you are travelling in India. People are paid money to taste the tea. Tea tasting is not a job everyone can do. The facets of the Tea industry are connected to many people, starting from the people who grow, puck them, get them ready for consumption, market them, make and serve them. We need to celebrate tea, and the world celebrates it two times a year. Since 2005, “International Tea Day” has been celebrated on December 15. The major Tea-producing countries started it. India took the initiative with the international bodies to designate a day to observe Tea Day. In 2019, the UN adopted a resolution to observe “International Tea Day” on May 21. The observation on December 15 continues, making it two observations every year. If you are a tea lover, you would not object to it. The observation focuses on raising awareness about tea’s history and cultural and economic significance and fostering collective actions for the sustainable tea industry.
It is said that the consumption of tea happened by accident. Leaves from a nearby plant fell accidentally into a pot with boiling water. The refreshing aroma from the pot enthused people to taste it, leading to the birth of tea as a beverage. So are the tea bags; the accidental packing of tea into silk bags led to the creation of the first tea bags. Dutch traders brought it to Europe, and the East India Company to the UK.
The origin of the tea is traced to northeast India, north Myanmar and southwest China. The word tea originated in China, te (Dutch), cha (Portuguese), and chai (from Chinese pronunciation, and Indian too).The earliest mention of the use of tea in India dates back to 750 BC.
While global tea consumption is dominated by China and India (~58%), countries like Rwanda, Malawi and Uganda have the highest annual growth rates. China is the largest producer, accounting for 47% of the world’s tea, followed by India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka. Globally, ~74% of the tea produced is consumed domestically.
Growing a tea plant typically takes about 3-5 years for harvesting. After tea leaves are plucked, it generally takes about 7-15 days for new shoots to regrow, enabling multiple harvesting. For millions of people who work in the tea industry, it is the primary source of subsistence. ~13 million people are employed in the global tea industry, with tea plantations providing direct employment to over 1 million people. Several laments that the British converted many farming areas into tea cultivation in India, impacting the sustainability of the native crops.
Assam is the largest tea-producing state in India (~50%), West Bengal, known for Darjeeling tea, is the second, and Tamil Nadu, famous for Nilgiri tea, ranks third. Tripura is emerging as a tea-producing state. Regarding the total quantity of tea consumed annually, China tops the list (~2.1 million tonnes), India the second (~1.1 million tonnes), and Turkey and the United Kingdom. Globally, it is estimated that around 3 billion cups of tea are consumed daily. When it comes to per capita consumption of tea, it is Turkey which tops the list.
Herbs, flowers, and other plant materials make herbal teas that do not contain caffeine. Minimal processing also preserves the high levels of chlorophyll, polyphenols, and antioxidants in the leaves, contributing to the tea’s health benefits.
The most popular tea brands globally include Lipton, Twinings, Tetley, Tazo, and Dilmah. They include Tata Tea, Brooke Bond, Wagh Bakri, Lipton, and Tetley in India.
Tea can be expensive, too. It is reported that the most expensive tea in the world is “Da Hong Pao”, a rare oolong tea from the Wuyi Mountains in China. Other notable expensive teas include Panda Dung Tea, Vintage Narcissus and Tieguanyin Tea.
In North India, tea is the dominant beverage. Tea stalls (chaiwalas) are typical on almost every street corner. While it is a common perception that South India prefers coffee and North India prefers tea, the reality is more nuanced. Can you forget Irani chai from Hyderabad?
Teetotaller has nothing to do with tea. It refers to a person who abstains completely from alcoholic beverages. Recall the Boston Tea Party. It paved the way for events leading to the American Revolution.
The tea industry faces several challenges, with climate change impacting tea production. The tea industry relies heavily on manual labour, and there are ongoing issues related to labour rights, fair wages, and working conditions. Ensuring fair treatment and improving living standards for workers is crucial.
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