The Tea Board has announced that teas failing to comply with the specifications of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will be withdrawn from auctions prior to the sale date. In a circular, the Board emphasized that under the Tea (Marketing) Control Order of 2003, no manufacturer is permitted to produce teas that do not adhere to FSSAI standards. Such non-compliant crops will be removed from auctions before sale, and sellers will be required to approach the Board for the destruction of these teas.
Earlier, the Board had mandated that 100% of all dust-grade teas produced in a calendar year must be sold through the auction system. The move was aimed at ensuring transparency, stimulating demand, and improving price discovery for quality-compliant teas.
The decision has been welcomed by tea trade bodies, including the Indian Tea Association (ITA) and the Tea Association of India (TAI). According to TAI, dust-grade teas account for nearly 20% of North India’s total production.
