Question

essay on tea in assam

Answer 1

The hundreds of lush green tea-gardens nestling in the Himalayan foothills of Assam have not only added charm to the states natural beauty but also forms the backbone of its economy. They are the lifeline without which the state would have remained impoverished, undeveloped and economically at its lowest rung. Today tea industry of Assam constitutes its largest industry, providing livelihood, revenue, employment and development.

Tea was first discovered in China and then in Japan. Its origin in India dates back to 1823 when an Englishman named Robert Bruce discovered tea plants in the forests of Assam. Later Charles Alexander, Robert Bruce’s brother started the first tea garden in Assam. In 1828, for the first time Assam tea was sent to England. It was liked by the Britishers and in no time it became very popular in England.

This encouraged the East India Company to start commercial cultivation of tea on a large scale. In 1835, the East India Company established its first tea garden in the state. Later in 1844 this garden was sold to Assam Tea Company which had been formed in 1839. Since then the number of tea gardens have increased by leaps and bounds. Today, there are over 900 tea gardens in Assam. These gardens are mosdy found in the districts of Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Magaon, Sibsagar, Sonitpur, and Darrang.