Guwahati: Assam’s tea industry is increasingly looking beyond its traditional black teas as estates experiment with rare and high-value speciality teas to capture premium domestic and export markets.
The latest example came at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) Sale No. 29, where Bhergaon Tea Estate’s yellow tea fetched ₹13,334 per kg.
The 2-kg lot was sold by leading tea broker J. Thomas & Co. Pvt. Ltd. and purchased by Vedanta Tea Company of Guwahati, underlining the growing interest in niche, handcrafted teas among buyers. The tea is being purchased for a café in Rajasthan.
The sale comes amid a broader shift within Assam’s tea industry, where producers are diversifying into speciality teas such as white tea, oolong, purple tea and matcha to improve value realisation in an increasingly competitive market.
Yellow tea is among the world’s rarest tea styles and is produced in very limited quantities because of its painstaking manufacturing process.
Originating in China, it undergoes an additional “yellowing” stage after heat treatment, resulting in a mellow liquor with delicate floral notes and a smoother taste than conventional green tea.
Located in Udalguri district on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, Bhergaon Tea Estate has been steadily expanding its speciality tea portfolio alongside its conventional CTC and orthodox teas.
“We have been experimenting with different types of speciality teas. Our white tea and golden tips have received encouraging feedback, and since yellow tea is a rare grade, we decided to develop it,” said Avinash Borooah, Director of Bhergaon Tea Estate.
The yellow tea was developed entirely in-house by the estate’s factory tea maker, Bhrigu Parasar, who specialises in crafting speciality teas.
According to the estate, yellow tea is the most labour-intensive and time-consuming among the speciality teas it produces because of the additional processing required to achieve its distinctive flavour profile.
Encouraged by the auction response, the estate plans to increase production.
“If marketed well, yellow tea can catch on like matcha. We believe it has the potential to become a commercially viable speciality tea and open up premium domestic and export markets, provided quality is consistently maintained,” Borooah said.
Although Arunachal Pradesh’s Donyi Polo Tea Estate first introduced yellow tea at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre in 2018, Bhergaon’s latest offering reflects the growing momentum behind Assam’s speciality tea movement.
With rising production costs and fluctuating prices for conventional teas, more estates are investing in small-batch, high-value teas that cater to discerning consumers. Industry players believe such innovations will be crucial to strengthening Assam’s presence in the premium global tea market while creating better value for producers.
Also Read: Jantar Mantar a painful reminder: Police can’t become the punishment
You just read a story that took days to report. Help us keep our reporters on the ground in the Northeast.
Ad-free reading, support and keep important stories alive
Support once (any amount)
Scan to pay via UPI