STiR coffee and tea magazine

42 STiR coffee and tea | 2023 Issue 5 (October / November) I By Aravinda Anantharaman Indian Origin Update: Teas of Kangra Valley ndia 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. Pro- duction 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. Produc- tion 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 underrat- ed. Made in the Chinese style, and with chinary bushes, it produces a light cup with dis- tinct vegetal flavors. Some estates produce oolongs, and they are extremely flavorful. A new generation of tea entrepreneurs is promoting retail brands, specialty tea, and tea tourism to revive Kangra's past glory. Buyers believe that Kangra's leaf and bush quality are assets that can be further developed using better agronomy and manufacturing. Kangra's terroir in the West Himalayas makes for distinctive black, green, and oolong teas.

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