Kishanganj Bihar Orthodox Muscatel Tea Cultivation

Kishanganj in northeastern Bihar, bordering West Bengal Darjeeling and Assam Dooars, has emerged as the country newest fine orthodox tea growing district. Small growers at 100-200 metre elevation on laterite loams produce two-leaves-and-a-bud orthodox black and green tea during first flush (March-April) and monsoon flush (July-August). Cool fog rolling in from Himalayan foothills gives Kishanganj tea a light muscatel character similar to Darjeeling second flush. Bihar Agricultural University has trained cooperative farmers in orthodox rolling and withering techniques, and a GI certification application for Kishanganj Tea is under processing. Women self-help group tea-processing units near Kishanganj town aggregate fresh leaf from neighbouring small growers. The cooperative markets certified Bihar orthodox tea to Kolkata, Delhi, and online specialty buyers.