Tea Mark Certification: Tea Board’s Voluntary Quality Seal

3 April 20261 min read

Why in the news

The Tea Board is preparing a quality and origin mark for Indian tea. It targets adulteration and the mixing of premium teas with cheaper ones.

Tea Mark is voluntary; certified makers can prove origin and quality to buyers.
Expected launch: May 2026.
Eligible: manufacturers registered under the Tea (Marketing) Control Order, 2003.
Testing: empanelled laboratories, against FSSAI food safety standards and existing control orders.
Tracking: digital traceability from garden to final package.
Legal action is planned for misuse of the logo or false quality claims.
The Board may build an e-commerce platform for certified products, for domestic and global buyers.

Cheap imported tea, for example from Nepal and Kenya, has been mixed with Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri tea and sold as Indian, hurting prices and GI tea reputation.
Darjeeling tea, India’s first GI (2004), already has its own logo; Tea Mark extends origin assurance to all registered makers.

Item	Detail
Global rank	Second to China overall; largest black tea producer
Main states	Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Consumption (2023)	About 1,197 million kg
Per capita	About 840 g a year (urban 925 g, rural 797 g)
Tea Board	Set up 1954, Kolkata; Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Tea Mark does not replace GI tags; GI protects regional names, Tea Mark certifies quality and traceability.
International Tea Day: 21 May.
Nodal ministry for the Tea Board: Commerce and Industry.

Test yourself

1. Which body is introducing the voluntary Tea Mark certification for Indian tea?

The notes say the Tea Board of India is bringing Tea Mark.

2. India is the world's largest producer of which type of tea?

India is second overall but largest in black tea.

3. Tea Mark is open to manufacturers registered under which order?

Eligibility is for makers registered under the Tea (Marketing) Control Order, 2003.