Darjeeling tea threatened by imitations from Nepal
Producers in India's famous Darjeeling region are feeling the heat from illegal imports from neighboring Nepal that are then repackaged and sold on as Darjeeling tea. Nepalese teas, which are a third cheaper than their Darjeeling equivalents, come through the porous mountain border and are then repackaged for the domestic market. The tea industry is therefore seeking to have all imports register with the local Tea Board, as is already the case in Sri Lanka, where similar issues have arisen in the past. Some tea experts feel the quality of Darjeeling tea should also be improved to ward off such practices.