• Tea production in Darjeeling has fallen at an alarming pace over the years. A decade ago it used to be around 12 million kg but now it is 6.87 million kg (2021).
  • The recent spurt in ownership change of gardens and the owners’ interest in tea tourism tells that they have doubts about the economic viability of Darjeeling’s tea gardens.
  • If weather, politics, and competition are among the more recent problems that have cropped up, complacency of its garden owners has been a traditional problem.
  • The Nepal tea is making inroads into the domestic market.
  • The fall in production is primarily attributed to declining yields, climate change adversities, and low labour productivity.