Darjeeling tea finds market in China

In green tea-loving China, Darjeeling tea may be rare, and drinkers few and far between. But that appears to be changing. The tea, which is mostly sold by India to markets in Europe and North America, has found a high-end market in China.

According to the Darjeeling Tea Association, Chinese buyers have purchased 20 tonnes of tea so far, and the ready-to-drink format has become fashionable amongst the younger generation in Beijing and Shanghai.

The tea is also becoming popular as corporate gifts and for special occasions. India welcomes the new opportunity especially when exports to established markets have dwindled in recent years. As reference, India's total black tea exports to the UK, the biggest European market, dropped by about 25% to 16 million kilograms in five years.

Marketed as black tea, Darjeeling comes from the Darjeeling district in West Bengal, India. It is mostly sold by India to markets in Europe and North America.