Kangra tea

Why in news?

• Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra Tea has got a European Union Geographical Indication Tag (GI tag). The tag will help Kangra tea to get an opportunity to enter the European market.
• Kangra tea has already received the Indian GI tag in 2005.

About Kangra tea:

• It is a type of tea derived from the leaves, buds and tender stems of the Camellia sinensis species as cultivated in the Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh.
• Tea was introduced in the Kangra valley by the British in 19^th century
• Kangra tea leaves contain up to 13% of catechins and up to 3% of caffeine and amino acids such as theanine, glutamine, and tryptophan.
• Although Kangra cultivates both black tea and green tea, black tea constitutes around 90 percent of the production.
• Kangra tea is known for its unique color and flavor. While the black tea has a sweet lingering after taste, the green tea has a delicate woody aroma.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Recently European Commission (EC) has awarded protected geographical indication (PGI) status to ‘Kangra tea’. This tea variety is primarily grown in:

(a) West Bengal

(b) Himachal Pradesh

(c) Assam

(d) Kerala

Answer