The Tea Board of India hosted the North Eastern Tea Innovations Expo in Ahmedabad, giving small tea growers from Assam and other Northeastern states a platform to present their products directly to traders, buyers and consumers. The two‑day event, held at Nexus Ahmedabad One Mall on August 29 and 30, featured a dedicated exhibition area for these entrepreneurs, allowing visitors to sample and purchase teas while facilitating direct engagement with producers.
The inauguration was led by Regina Rongpipi, a woman small tea grower from Karbi Anglong and a member of Grassroots Tea. Representing roughly 1,000 women growers, Rongpipi highlighted the shift from merely cultivating tea leaves to processing artisanal green tea in small, home‑adjacent facilities using hand‑rolling and specialized dryers. She credited the Tea Board, the Udyamini programme and Transform Trade for supporting Karbi women’s entrepreneurial journey.
According to Tea Board data for the 2025‑26 season, small tea growers contributed 780.44 million kilograms to India’s total tea output of 1,382.74 million kilograms, accounting for 56.44% of national production, with Assam alone supplying 335.52 million kilograms. Participating brands included Grassroots Tea, Kaveesha, Ayra Tea, Beli Tea, Ootsaa, Disha, Wayomile, Maharanee Tea, Bimalla Tea and Maa Natural Tea, each showcasing value‑added processing and product innovation.
A senior Tea Board official emphasized that the Expo’s primary goal was to link these growers with Gujarat’s tea market, noting positive feedback from the Gujarat Tea Traders Association. The event concluded with a buyer‑seller meet on August 30 at Hotel Shital Inn, where entrepreneurs presented their offerings to regional traders and explored further business opportunities.
