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.
Country's used lithium-ion battery problem is also set to grow sharply in next decade. India 3rd largest e-waste producer with 7% global share but currently recycles only about 10% of it.
Shield AI will provide V-BAT vertical takeoff & landing drones along with licences for software, which will be integrated into aircraft and made available to select Indian partners.
No nation other than China can negotiate one-on-one with Trump on an equal footing. That’s why the middle powers who so far formed the core of multilateral bodies now feel orphaned.
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