Hong Kong prize for Assam tea

• Encouraged by the Champion Award for CTC (crush, tear and curl) tea in an international tea fair in Hong Kong, a bought leaf factory of Assam is looking towards the China tea market.
• Assam CTC tea is slowly making a foothold in the black tea market in China and a few gardens from Assam are getting orders.
• The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of UN says China is responsible for the accelerated growth inglobal tea output as production increased more than double.
• The expansion in tea production is in response to unprecedented growth in domestic demand, underpinned by China’s economic growth at an average of 10 per cent over the last 30 years.

Assam Tea:

• Assam tea is a black tea named after the region of its production, Assam, in India. It is also traditionally used in Yunnan province in China. Assam tea is manufactured specifically from the plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica (Masters).
• This tea, most of which is grown at or near sea level, is known for its body, briskness, malty flavour, and strong, bright colour. Assam teas, or blends containing Assam, are often sold as "breakfast" teas. For instance, Irish breakfast tea, a maltier and stronger breakfast tea, consists of small-sized Assam tea leaves.
• The state of Assam is the world's largest tea-growing region, lying on either side of the Brahmaputra River, and bordering Bangladesh and Myanmar. This part of India experiences high precipitation; during the monsoon period, as much as 10 to 12 inches (250–300 mm) of rain per day.
• The daytime temperature rises to about 96.8F (36 °C), creating greenhouse-like conditions of extreme humidity and heat. This tropical climate contributes to Assam's unique malty taste, a feature for which this tea is well known.

By: Ziyaur Rahman