"Kangra Tea Industry had a golden history but today it is struggling to survive."Discuss throwing light on the measures taken to protect Kangra Tea.

Model Answer: Kangra tea is basically a China tea introduced by British in 19th century in Kangra and adjacent districts of Himachal Pradesh. It became popular and was an export material but the unfortunate earthquake of 1905 forced the British planters to sell their estates to local people and move away. Since then, the industry has struggle to survive. The key problems are:

• Lack of quality planting material and technical knowhow
• Non-availability of labor during plucking period.
• Lack of Farm Mechanization in tea production
• Pressure on land due to Urbanization
• Competition with Sikkim and Assam varieties
• Measures taken to protect

GI protection has been given to Kangra tea to support marketing efforts.  The tea still has market and identity and what it needs is proper government policy, adoption of technology in production and brand promotion. The area under Kangra tea is small, so the area extension is a dire need of the hour. The state agricultural universes and Tea Board of India can come forward to take measured actions to promote cultivation of Kangra tea. The Self Help Groups; Cluster approach and reviving the Kangra Tea Planters Association are other such measures. (200 words)