Tea Industry and Sericulture of Assam
Tea and silk are the two industries that have given Assam a distinct identity in the world. Tea is the state's largest organised industry and its most important agricultural export, while sericulture, especially the golden Muga silk, is a heritage craft found almost nowhere else on earth. Together they support lakhs of families, generate valuable foreign exchange and appear repeatedly in the general knowledge sections of ADRE, APSC, Assam Police and other recruitment examinations. This chapter covers the origin and growth of the Assam tea industry, its processing and trade, and the three great silks of Assam - Muga, Eri and Mulberry - along with the institutions and GI tags associated with them.
Tea: the largest organised industry of Assam
Assam is the largest tea-producing state of India and produces over half of the country's total tea output, roughly 50 to 55 per cent. In volume terms, the state produces around 700 to 750 million kilograms of tea annually. Most tea gardens lie in the Brahmaputra valley, particularly in upper Assam, where the climate and soil are ideal for tea cultivation. Dibrugarh district is called the Tea City of India and the Tea Capital of the World, and it also has the largest area under tea gardens in the state. The story of Assam tea begins with C.A. Bruce, who established the first tea garden near Chabua in 1836 after clearing forest, and the first commercial tea garden was set up in 1837 by the East India Company, with exports to London beginning soon after. The tea industry directly and indirectly employs over 10 lakh workers, a large number of them women from the tea garden communities.
Processing, research and trade
Assam tea is famous for its strong, brisk and malty flavour, and the Assamica variety of the tea plant gives the state's black tea its distinctive body. Tea is broadly of two types: CTC, which stands for Crush, Tear and Curl and is machine-processed into small granular pellets suited for strong milk tea, and orthodox tea, which is rolled leaf tea with a more delicate flavour. The Tocklai Tea Research Institute at Jorhat, established in 1911, is Asia's first and the world's oldest tea research institute and is the main research and development body of the industry, housed under the Tea Research Association. Historically, tea chests were carried down the Brahmaputra river to the port of Kolkata for export, and the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC), where the first auction was held in 1970, is one of the largest tea auction centres in the world. Private players such as Tata Consumer Products, through its subsidiary Amalgamated Plantations, own several estates in the state, and the Rongali Bihu is celebrated with special enthusiasm by the tea garden communities.
Sericulture: the three silks of Assam
Assam is the home of three major silks. Muga silk is unique to the state and is produced almost nowhere else in the world; it is golden-yellow in colour, has a natural lustre that improves with age, and is therefore called golden silk. It is produced by the Antheraea assamensis silkworm, which feeds primarily on the Som (Machilus bombycina) and Soalu (Litsaea polyantha) plants, and it received the Geographical Indication tag in 2008, the same year as Bhut Jolokia. Muga rearing is concentrated in upper Assam districts such as Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat and Lakhimpur, and Muga is the most prized silk for the traditional Assamese mekhela chador. Eri silk, produced from the eri silkworm mainly in the Brahmaputra valley, is white or off-white and is known as peace silk because the pupae are not killed during extraction; it is also produced in Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and West Bengal, so it is not exclusive to Assam. Mulberry silk, produced from the Bombyx mori silkworm, is raised on a smaller scale, notably in the Goalpara and Barpeta belt.
Silk institutions and the town of Sualkuchi
The town of Sualkuchi, on the north bank of the Brahmaputra in Kamrup district, is famous for handloom silk weaving and is popularly called the Manchester of the East, as well as the Silk Town of Assam. The development of sericulture is looked after by the Directorate of Sericulture under the Department of Handloom, Textiles and Sericulture of Assam. Marketing and promotion of Assam silk are supported by the Assam Silk Outreach Mission and the Assam Silk Mark Organisation, along with the Assam Institute of Silk and Textile Technology Management. The Central Silk Board promotes the integrated development of the silk sector through the Silk Samagra programme, and the Regional Sericulture Research Station at Kokrajhar serves the Bodo region. After Muga in 2008, Eri and Mulberry silk also received GI tags, strengthening the identity of Assam silk in national and international markets.
Key facts at a glance
- Assam produces over half (about 50-55 per cent) of India's tea; 700-750 million kg annually.
- Tea gardens: mostly Brahmaputra valley, upper Assam; Tea Capital: Dibrugarh.
- First tea garden: C.A. Bruce near Chabua, 1836; first commercial garden: 1837.
- Tea research: Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, 1911 (Asia's first).
- Tea types: CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) and orthodox; flavour: strong and malty.
- Tea auction: Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC), first auction 1970.
- Muga silk: golden, unique to Assam, Antheraea assamensis, GI tag 2008.
- Eri silk: peace silk, white/off-white; Mulberry silk from Bombyx mori.
- Silk town: Sualkuchi, the Manchester of the East.
- Muga host plants: Som and Soalu; silk scheme: Silk Samagra.
Quick revision points
- Tea is Assam's largest organised industry; silk is its heritage craft.
- Dibrugarh is the tea capital, Jorhat the research base (Tocklai).
- Muga is exclusive to Assam; Eri and Mulberry are produced elsewhere too.
- Bhut Jolokia and Muga silk both received GI tags in 2008.
- Sualkuchi is the silk weaving hub on the north bank of the Brahmaputra.
How to prepare this topic
- Fix the tea facts around names, years and places: Bruce, 1836, Chabua, Tocklai, 1911, GTAC, 1970.
- Learn the three silks with their silkworms, host plants and colours.
- Remember which facts are unique to Assam (Muga) and which are shared (Eri).
- Tie each institution to its town: Tocklai to Jorhat, Sualkuchi to Kamrup, research station to Kokrajhar.
- Revise the GI tag years because they are a favourite question.
Common exam traps
- C.A. Bruce is linked to the first tea garden; the first commercial garden is dated 1837.
- Muga is exclusive to Assam, but Eri is also produced in other North-Eastern states.
- The Brahmaputra valley, not the Barak valley, produces the overwhelming share of Assam tea.
- Tocklai is in Jorhat and is a research institute, not an auction centre.
- Muga is golden silk; Eri is known as peace silk - do not interchange them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How important is Assam in India's tea production?
Assam is the largest tea-producing state of India and contributes over half, about 50 to 55 per cent, of the country's total tea output, producing roughly 700 to 750 million kilograms a year. Most gardens are in the Brahmaputra valley, and Dibrugarh is known as the tea capital.
What is the difference between CTC and orthodox tea?
CTC stands for Crush, Tear and Curl; it is machine-processed into small granular pellets and is suited for strong milk tea. Orthodox tea is rolled leaf tea with a more delicate flavour. Assam black tea, made from the Assamica variety, is known for its strong and malty taste.
Which silks are produced in Assam and how are they different?
Assam produces Muga, Eri and Mulberry silk. Muga is golden-yellow and unique to Assam, produced by Antheraea assamensis on Som and Soalu plants. Eri is white or off-white and is called peace silk because the pupae are not killed. Mulberry silk comes from Bombyx mori and is produced on a smaller scale.
Why is Sualkuchi important for Assam silk?
Sualkuchi, on the north bank of the Brahmaputra in Kamrup district, is the centre of handloom silk weaving and is popularly called the Manchester of the East. It weaves the traditional mekhela chador and other silk products, making it the silk town of Assam.
Which GI tags are associated with Assam tea and silk?
Muga silk received the Geographical Indication tag in 2008, the same year as Bhut Jolokia, and Eri and Mulberry silk later received GI tags as well. Assam orthodox tea has also been granted a GI tag, which protects the identity of the state's tea in national and international markets.