Ahmedabad: The Tea Board India brought together small tea grower entrepreneurs from Assam and other Northeastern states at the North Eastern Tea Innovations Expo in Ahmedabad, giving them a dedicated space to showcase their products directly to traders, buyers and consumers.
The choice of a woman small tea grower to inaugurate the Expo reflected the growing recognition of farmers as entrepreneurs in the tea value chain. Regina Rongpipi of Karbi Anglong, a member of Grassroots Tea, who inaugurated the Expo, said:
“I feel proud to represent about 1,000 women small tea growers in Karbi Anglong. We have been able to move beyond simply growing and selling tea leaves.
In the last three years, the situation has changed. Now we process artisanal green tea in small buildings adjacent to our houses, hand-roll the tea and dry it using dryers designed for artisanal tea processing.”
Regina further acknowledged the support extended by Tea Board India, the Udyamini programme and Transform Trade in the Karbi women’s entrepreneurial journey.
The two-day Expo, being held at Nexus Ahmedabad One Mall on August 29 and 30, comes as small tea growers play an increasingly important role in India’s tea industry. In 2025–26, small tea growers accounted for 780.44 million kg of India’s total tea production of 1,382.74 million kg, or 56.44%, as per Tea Board India official data. Of the total STG production, 335.52 million kg came from Assam.
Beyond cultivation, small tea growers are increasingly exploring ways to add value through tea processing, product development and new production methods. Besides Grassroots Tea, the participating brands of Small Tea Growers from North Eastern India include Kaveesha, Ayra Tea, Beli Tea, Ootsaa, Disha, Wayomile, Maharanee Tea, Bimalla Tea and Maa Natural Tea. Visitors can taste the products at the stalls and purchase them, while traders and buyers can engage directly with the producers.
A senior Tea Board India official present at the Expo said:
“The primary aim of this Expo is to connect these small entrepreneurs with buyers in Gujarat. The response from the Gujarat Tea Traders Association is very encouraging.
They have appreciated the diverse and indigenous products being showcased, including teas from small tea growers who have come together as producer companies and are now producing and selling their own teas.”
The inaugural session was attended by Manishkumar K. Patel, President of the Gujarat Tea Traders Association, and Paras Desai, Executive Director at Wagh Bakri Tea Group, along with other representatives from the tea industry.
The Expo will continue at Nexus Ahmedabad One Mall on August 30, with an exclusive buyer-seller meet organised by Tea Board India at Hotel Shital Inn, giving participating entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their products to tea traders and explore business opportunities in Gujarat.
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