Guwahati: An estate in Assam’s Tinsukia district has created history by producing and launching India’s first-ever commercially manufactured ‘Matcha’ tea, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.
Chota Tingrai Tea Estate in the Upper Assam district has successfully produced and launched ‘Matcha’ tea, with the lot selling at the Gauhati Tea Auction for Rs 3,000.
”Your favourite Matcha brew, will now be produced in Assam. Furthering our glorious tea legacy, Assam becomes the first State in India to commercially produce Matcha tea at the Chota Tingrai Tea Estate in Tinsukia,” Sarma said in a post on X.
The diversification of the viral drink will help strengthen brand Assam Tea in the global markets, he said.
”This has been made possible due to the strong India-Japan ties and our collaboration in various fields, and has fetched a handsome price at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre,” the CM said.
Mrityunjay Jalan, the director of the tea estate, said it has spent the past decade collaborating closely with Japanese tea manufacturers, agronomists, equipment suppliers, and tea experts to bring this vision to life.
”By establishing a fully automated, state-of-the-art Japanese tea manufacturing facility on its estate, Chota Tingrai has successfully bridged traditional Assam tea heritage with authentic Japanese expertise,” he said.
‘Matcha’ is a highly sought-after, premium green tea product primarily manufactured in Japan, China, and Vietnam, which is currently facing global shortage due to skyrocketing demand, officials said.
Assam is globally celebrated for its rich and robust black teas, and the introduction of high-quality specialty teas like ‘Matcha’ marks a monumental shift, they said.
Jalan said the development adds a valuable new dimension to Assam’s tea portfolio, opening lucrative new export opportunities and strengthening India’s position in the global specialty tea market.
“We have been working with tea experts from Japan for the past decade to introduce the highest quality of green tea to the Indian market,” he said.
Jalan said they have successfully sold whole-leaf green tea grades for the past 10 years, but the “launch of authentic Indian ‘Matcha’ is a milestone we are incredibly proud of”.
It is the result of a dedicated partnership with our Japanese counterparts, and ”we are confident that ‘Matcha’ from Chota Tingrai will soon find a home in both Indian and international households”, he added.
