Bhubaneswar, Sept 23: Odisha’s Koraput coffee has emerged as a recognised brand across the country, and its recent inclusion in the BRICS Summit media kit has once again brought the region’s agricultural potential into focus. Now, Koraput and other parts of Odisha are being explored for the possibility of expanding tea cultivation, particularly orthodox tea.
Assam and Darjeeling have demonstrated how tea cultivation can generate employment while contributing significantly to the regional economy. Experts believe that parts of Koraput and other Odisha districts have geographical and climatic conditions suitable for tea cultivation.
The Assam Tea Research Association has expressed interest in extending technical support for experimental tea cultivation in suitable areas of Odisha.
According to Upper Assam Tea Research Association adviser Ananta Dutta, five key factors are important for successful tea cultivation. These include soil pH between 4.5 and 5.5, an average temperature of around 30–35°C, organic carbon above 1%, potassium levels above 100 ppm, and humidity between 60% and 90%. Hilly or elevated land with proper drainage and no waterlogging is also considered suitable.
Lessons from Bihar
Bihar’s Kishanganj district offers an example of how tea cultivation can expand in a relatively new region. Tea cultivation began there in 1992 and has now spread across around 10,000 hectares, providing employment to nearly 30,000 people.
The Assam Tea Research Association has been providing technical assistance to farmers in the region. Experts believe Odisha could explore a similar model in suitable areas.
Tea cultivation has previously been experimentally undertaken in Keonjhar and some other districts of Odisha, but the initiative did not expand significantly.
Can Koraput Lead Odisha’s Tea Push?
Koraput currently has a few tea estates where CTC tea is produced. However, orthodox tea, which is generally associated with speciality and export markets, has not yet been developed on a significant scale in the district.
With Koraput coffee gaining wider recognition, experts see an opportunity to explore whether the region can replicate its success in another high-value plantation crop.
At present, coffee cultivation is being undertaken in Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Kalahandi and Keonjhar. The state has also set a target of expanding coffee cultivation to one lakh acres over the next 10 years.
According to Odisha Coffee Board data, the state produced around 470 metric tonnes of coffee in 2025-26, with production targeted at 550 metric tonnes in 2026-27.
Experts say several parts of Odisha, including Koraput, share climatic similarities with Dibrugarh and other tea-growing areas of Assam. If suitable locations are identified and tea cultivation is taken up on an experimental basis, the Assam Tea Research Association has indicated that it is willing to provide technical support.
The proposed exploration could open another avenue for high-value plantation agriculture in Odisha while creating new opportunities for farmers and rural employment.
