Tightening norms on pesticides hurts Indian tea exports to USA

On the other hand, income from exports to US during the aforesaid period declined to $35.97 as against the income of $48.40 resulting in a 26% fall

Tightening norms on pesticide use in tea and last year’s hangover of the Darjeeling crisis cost India to lose 26 per cent of its tea business to the USA, as exports to this country, till October this year, fell momentously.

While the Tea Board, as well as the industry, is nervous about the situation, some exporters said that after the USA revised its permissible pesticides list, a major portion of Indian orthodox tea, meant for US exports, stood disqualified for a US entry. Hence, this produce got routed to other countries where pesticide norms are more relaxed.

Preliminary data from