The Tea Board India on February 10, 2026, notified mandatory Quality Testing for Imported Tea under Government Directive.
Under powers granted by the Tea Act, 1953, the Government issued the Tea (Distribution and Export) Control Order, 2005 to regulate the import, export, and distribution of tea in India. To support implementation, regional Tea Councils for North and South India were created in 2012 to advise the Tea Board and monitor imported tea and tea waste. In January 2025, these bodies were merged into the Tea Council Committee of India, with a broader mandate to oversee both the quantity and quality of imported and exported tea.
Earlier, a mandatory online checking system for tea exports and imports was introduced in 2013, under which tea samples were tested and clearance certificates were issued online. However, due to operational constraints, physical sampling and testing were discontinued in 2018, though online clearance certification continued and was reaffirmed in 2021.
Growing concerns about rising imports and potential adulteration prompted the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce in its 2025 report to recommend stricter monitoring measures. These included mandatory labelling and source declarations for re-exported or blended teas, customs-linked port surveillance, and regular market audits and testing to protect the reputation of Indian tea and maintain consumer confidence.
Responding to these developments and recommendations, the Tea Board has now directed that, from May 01, 2026, all imported tea consignments must undergo mandatory quality testing in accordance with a prescribed Standard Operating Procedure. Updates to the procedure will be published on the Tea Board’s official website from time to time.
[File No. Tea Council/LC/2014/P-I/7357]
