Tea Board to protect Darjeeling IPR

[Metropolitanjury]

After securing geographical indication (GI) for Darjeeling tea in Europe, the Tea Board is now gearing up to protect the intellectual property right (IPR) of the famed beverage.

Tea Board Chairman Basudeb Banerjee said at the annual general meeting of Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA) here that protection of IPR was necessary for Darjeeling tea.

He said the Tea Board had taken initiatives in the past for it and the industry should now come forward in terms of funding needed.
"Government funding cannot go for long," he said.

For US, Tea Board would take the certificate trade mark route for protecting the IPR for Darjeeling tea.

After Darjeeling tea, Tea Board was now going ahead for securing GI for Assam and Nilgiri orthodox teas. Banerjee sounded caution about the emergence of small growers in Darjeeling.

He said although the problem had not assumed the proportion it had done in the Dooars plains, this issue had to be carefully managed.

By Ms.Bobby Aanand, Metropolitan Jury.