Word coming out of Darjeeling Hills is that an extended dry period (started in mid-Nov 08 to present) will probably hurt quality and quantity of First Flush Darjeeling production this year.
The highly prized first Flush harvest amounts to about 20% of total annual Darjeeling tea garden production.
Mar 1st, '09, 20:45
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I've been hearing this too. There has been almost no rainfall at all in Darjeeling since November. It's a big issue for the economic lives of many people in West Bengal and Sikkim.
A recent article:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Mar ... 203068.cms
A commercial newslist from Darjeeling I subscribe to (Thunderbolt Tea) recently reported that the low elevation tea gardens such as Longview will begin offering first flush teas very soon but the higher ones could be a month delayed.
This is doubly disappointing to me because I'll actually be in Darjeeling in mid April and was looking forward to some tea tasting. Hopefully it's not so bad.
A recent article:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Mar ... 203068.cms
A commercial newslist from Darjeeling I subscribe to (Thunderbolt Tea) recently reported that the low elevation tea gardens such as Longview will begin offering first flush teas very soon but the higher ones could be a month delayed.
This is doubly disappointing to me because I'll actually be in Darjeeling in mid April and was looking forward to some tea tasting. Hopefully it's not so bad.
First brief rain in 5 months, yesterday.
Darjeeling News / The Telegraph
Darjeeling, March 20, 2009
Rainfall in Darjeeling today after almost five months helped settle the dust, but failed to provide much needed relief to the tea planters and the people in general.
With overcast skies since early morning, many residents were hoping for a rain. While it drizzled in the morning, there was a shower for about half an hour around 11.30am.
Darjeeling tea planters said the rainfall was just a little too late. “The shower has come a bit too late,” said Sandeep Mukherjee, the secretary of Darjeeling Tea Association. The Darjeeling planters usually rely on rain around Christmas but there was no shower during the winter this year.
The dry weather has stemmed the growth of first flush, which usually fetches the highest price at auctions. “We have suffered heavy losses this year, but we cannot provide a comprehensive figure unless the first flush season is over,” said Mukherjee. Plucking for the first flush has already started and it generally carries on till April end.
While the rain has brought little relief to the planters, the Darjeeling Municipality, too, said the short spell would not help them much. “We need more rain. Anyway, we had started making preparations to distribute potable water through trucks and jeeps from next week. We have already approached the DGHC to provide us with Rs 40 lakh (40,000 rupees) for water distribution,” said Pemba Tshering Ola, the chairman of the civic body.
The two lakes in Senchel that supply water to Darjeeling are bone dry. While the South Lake has absolutely no water in store, the North Lake has only about eight feet of water against the normal storage of 12 feet. Most of the 25 streams that feed water to these two lakes are running dry.
“If we have a good shower for a couple of days, the streams will start flowing again. But short spells like that of today will not help,” said a municipal worker who is associated with the distribution.
The Indian Meteorological Department has said on its website that a disturbance has developed over Jammu and Kashmir, while another was forming over western Uttar Pradesh. With clouds still moving over the region, there is hope for more rains in Darjeeling.
Darjeeling, March 20, 2009
Rainfall in Darjeeling today after almost five months helped settle the dust, but failed to provide much needed relief to the tea planters and the people in general.
With overcast skies since early morning, many residents were hoping for a rain. While it drizzled in the morning, there was a shower for about half an hour around 11.30am.
Darjeeling tea planters said the rainfall was just a little too late. “The shower has come a bit too late,” said Sandeep Mukherjee, the secretary of Darjeeling Tea Association. The Darjeeling planters usually rely on rain around Christmas but there was no shower during the winter this year.
The dry weather has stemmed the growth of first flush, which usually fetches the highest price at auctions. “We have suffered heavy losses this year, but we cannot provide a comprehensive figure unless the first flush season is over,” said Mukherjee. Plucking for the first flush has already started and it generally carries on till April end.
While the rain has brought little relief to the planters, the Darjeeling Municipality, too, said the short spell would not help them much. “We need more rain. Anyway, we had started making preparations to distribute potable water through trucks and jeeps from next week. We have already approached the DGHC to provide us with Rs 40 lakh (40,000 rupees) for water distribution,” said Pemba Tshering Ola, the chairman of the civic body.
The two lakes in Senchel that supply water to Darjeeling are bone dry. While the South Lake has absolutely no water in store, the North Lake has only about eight feet of water against the normal storage of 12 feet. Most of the 25 streams that feed water to these two lakes are running dry.
“If we have a good shower for a couple of days, the streams will start flowing again. But short spells like that of today will not help,” said a municipal worker who is associated with the distribution.
The Indian Meteorological Department has said on its website that a disturbance has developed over Jammu and Kashmir, while another was forming over western Uttar Pradesh. With clouds still moving over the region, there is hope for more rains in Darjeeling.
Economic crisis forces lower prices on Darjeeling teas
Financial crisis takes a toll on Darjeeling tea
http://www.darjeelinginformation.com/20 ... eling-tea/
Economic Times
April 5th, 2009
The global economic crisis has affected the Darjeeling tea industry. The premium first flush teas, which become available in the market from March, have fetched 25% lesser price in the European markets this year. In 2008, the same type of tea had fetched Rs 1,250 per kg but this year it has gone down to Rs 937.50 per kg.
Talking to ET, Sanjay Bansal, chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association said: “Nearly 85% of high quality first flush tea is exported to European nations. Germany is one of the biggest buyers of Darjeeling tea. Since there is a liquidity crunch in the European countries, the buyers are not keen to pay last year’s prices.” Incidentally, the premium first flush and second flush teas are major revenue earners for Darjeeling tea industry.
India produces about 9-10 million kg of Darjeeling tea annually. Of this nearly 50% of the production is rain’s tea, which do not fetch higher prices and are mostly sold in the domestic markets. Darjeeling tea planters depend on the first flush and second flush teas for their profitability.
Name Brand Recognition
While Darjeeling planters are busy in hard bargaining with overseas buyers, the Tea Board along with the UK Tea Council, is in the final stages of discussing an appropriate system that will define Darjeeling tea and the mechanism to ensure that the Darjeeling tea planters get the right price in the European markets.
For the last few years, tea planters through the board have been seeking a conclusive definition of Darjeeling tea in the global market. The most recent proposal from the board to its European counterparts has suggested the blend must consist at least 90% of Darjeeling tea to qualify to be called so.
Though the UK Tea Council and the EU Tea Committee are not opposed to the idea of finding a clear definition of Darjeeling tea, there has been some apprehension on the implementation of such a definition. The UK Tea Council has been vested with the task of representing the 27 EU trading partners on this subject. The trading rules not just in the UK but in other European countries are being considered.
(Name branding, registration/stamping are an on-going effort to reduce inferior Darjeeling teas comprising 50% or less Darjeeling teas that are diluted with other area teas of lower quality).
http://www.darjeelinginformation.com/20 ... eling-tea/
Economic Times
April 5th, 2009
The global economic crisis has affected the Darjeeling tea industry. The premium first flush teas, which become available in the market from March, have fetched 25% lesser price in the European markets this year. In 2008, the same type of tea had fetched Rs 1,250 per kg but this year it has gone down to Rs 937.50 per kg.
Talking to ET, Sanjay Bansal, chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association said: “Nearly 85% of high quality first flush tea is exported to European nations. Germany is one of the biggest buyers of Darjeeling tea. Since there is a liquidity crunch in the European countries, the buyers are not keen to pay last year’s prices.” Incidentally, the premium first flush and second flush teas are major revenue earners for Darjeeling tea industry.
India produces about 9-10 million kg of Darjeeling tea annually. Of this nearly 50% of the production is rain’s tea, which do not fetch higher prices and are mostly sold in the domestic markets. Darjeeling tea planters depend on the first flush and second flush teas for their profitability.
Name Brand Recognition
While Darjeeling planters are busy in hard bargaining with overseas buyers, the Tea Board along with the UK Tea Council, is in the final stages of discussing an appropriate system that will define Darjeeling tea and the mechanism to ensure that the Darjeeling tea planters get the right price in the European markets.
For the last few years, tea planters through the board have been seeking a conclusive definition of Darjeeling tea in the global market. The most recent proposal from the board to its European counterparts has suggested the blend must consist at least 90% of Darjeeling tea to qualify to be called so.
Though the UK Tea Council and the EU Tea Committee are not opposed to the idea of finding a clear definition of Darjeeling tea, there has been some apprehension on the implementation of such a definition. The UK Tea Council has been vested with the task of representing the 27 EU trading partners on this subject. The trading rules not just in the UK but in other European countries are being considered.
(Name branding, registration/stamping are an on-going effort to reduce inferior Darjeeling teas comprising 50% or less Darjeeling teas that are diluted with other area teas of lower quality).
For what its worth... I got several first flush offerings from Tea Emporium a week or so ago, and they are all very good. The puttabong is my favorite!
If this is a sucky season, I may not be able to stand it when they get "really good" in years to come.
Sarah
If this is a sucky season, I may not be able to stand it when they get "really good" in years to come.
Sarah
***This organic blend is earthy & spicy, with a fragrant aroma & smooth flavor to captivate the senses. Naturally sweetened in the Kentucky sunshine & infused with natural energy. Equally delicious when served piping hot or crisply chilled.***
Spendy stuff.
http://teaemporium.blogspot.com/2009/03 ... 7-1st.html
You got the exception (premium clonal), not the typical yield under very dry conditions that persisted through the late March. These very high altitude gardens receive precip in the form of mists, even when the rainy season is dry.
$23 for 100 grams and Margarets Hope at $17/100g.
No price break for you, eh?
You got the exception (premium clonal), not the typical yield under very dry conditions that persisted through the late March. These very high altitude gardens receive precip in the form of mists, even when the rainy season is dry.
$23 for 100 grams and Margarets Hope at $17/100g.
No price break for you, eh?
Re: Spendy stuff.
Or so they say on their blog. Disappointing news as I really enjoy the astringency of the FF over the second. I wonder what this will mean for Adagio?Intuit wrote:http://teaemporium.blogspot.com/2009/03 ... 7-1st.html
You got the exception (premium clonal), not the typical yield under very dry conditions that persisted through the late March. These very high altitude gardens receive precip in the form of mists, even when the rainy season is dry.
$23 for 100 grams and Margarets Hope at $17/100g.
No price break for you, eh?
- Victoria -
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
If I was shopping for a bargain, I'd have bought some Twinings teabags.
I've only ordered twice from Tea Emporium, but the 6 offerings I got last year, and the 3 I have gotten so far this year, were all outstanding and a decent value. Maybe the later offerings will be sub-par, we'll see. I hope not. For now, the puttabong is delicious.
Sarah
I've only ordered twice from Tea Emporium, but the 6 offerings I got last year, and the 3 I have gotten so far this year, were all outstanding and a decent value. Maybe the later offerings will be sub-par, we'll see. I hope not. For now, the puttabong is delicious.
Sarah
***This organic blend is earthy & spicy, with a fragrant aroma & smooth flavor to captivate the senses. Naturally sweetened in the Kentucky sunshine & infused with natural energy. Equally delicious when served piping hot or crisply chilled.***
