India's North Bengal tea industry is going through a tense stretch after nearly 274 bought-leaf factories decided, starting July 27, 2026, to accept green leaf only when accompanied by Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) compliance certificates from labs accredited by NABL or approved by the Tea Board of India.
The move follows concerns over pesticide residues — including banned substances such as monocrotophos — found above permitted limits, raising risks for both domestic sales and tea exports. The issue hits small tea growers hardest, since they supply roughly 65% of the region's tea output; the procurement halt is estimated to have affected nearly 50,000 grower families in a region where 3 to 3.5 million people depend directly or indirectly on the tea economy.
By early August, factory authorities signaled willingness to resume buying, with MP Jayanta Kumar Roy stating: "We want pesticide-free tea." Still, according to the latest reports, the dispute remains unresolved amid a shortage of accessible testing capacity for the region's small growers.
Source: UNI India