EU protected geographical indication (PGI) tag for Kangra tea will come into effect on 11 April, raising hopes of growers that the sector will finally perk up again.
A two-cup pot of Darjeeling tea costs Rs 500 at cafes in Kurseong and elsewhere. An eight-hour-long grinding shift at tea gardens earns the workers Rs 230 as daily wage.
Revenue loss from export crops like tea played a big part in Sri Lanka's rapid economic decline. For descendants of Tamil-bonded labourers, life is more difficult now.
India's falling tea exports can be attributed to multiple factors, such as a dip in production leading to a surge in prices, making the commodity internationally uncompetitive, and blending.
The losses come as a double whammy for Darjeeling, which started recovering from the losses after 2017 violent Gorkhaland agitation and resultant 3-month-long shutdown.
In tactical terms, the shirtless protest was worse than a self-goal. Suddenly, the fiascos of the AI Summit were forgotten, and the Youth Congress’s disruption became the issue.
IAF is fine with accepting the aircraft with 'must-haves', even if some other steps remain pending, which may take at least another year, it is learnt.
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