Guwahati: Serious concerns have emerged over the quality of packaged tea in India after an RTI response revealed that a large number of tea samples tested over the past two financial years failed to meet required quality standards. The findings have raised questions over contamination, pesticide residues, adulteration and regulatory transparency in one of the country’s most widely consumed beverages.
High Failure Rate In Tea Samples
According to the RTI response, the Tea Board of India stated that in 2024–25, 711 out of 1,423 surveillance samples of packaged tea failed quality tests. In 2025–26, 835 out of 1,764 samples were found non-compliant with safety standards.
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The samples were collected randomly from markets and packaging units across the country to assess overall product quality and compliance levels. The consistent failure rate over two years has sparked debate over consumer safety and accountability.
Brand Names Withheld
The RTI application also sought disclosure of the brands and manufacturers whose products failed the tests. However, the Tea Board declined to share this information, citing confidentiality protections under Section 8 of the RTI Act. The Board argued that disclosure could affect third-party commercial interests.
Officials stated that action had been taken against non-compliant samples under existing control orders and regulatory frameworks. However, no detailed information on enforcement action, penalties or specific cases was made public.
Pesticide Residues Under Scanner
Experts say the main reasons behind sample failures include pesticide residues exceeding permissible limits, use of restricted chemicals, adulteration and mislabelling. Industry sources also suggest that some packaged tea manufacturers blend CTC tea with lower-grade leaves and dust tea to reduce costs.
The issue has wider implications because a large portion of tea traded through the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre is purchased by major FMCG companies and their suppliers. This creates a complex supply chain where quality monitoring becomes more difficult across multiple intermediaries.
Stakeholders, including buyers, sellers, small tea growers, research bodies and regulatory agencies, have held consultations with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to improve quality standards from cultivation to packaging.
According to sources, the government has agreed in principle to revise Maximum Residue Limits for certain pesticides, including imidacloprid and acetamiprid. The final notification is still awaited.
Experts say stronger testing infrastructure, transparent enforcement and sustained regulatory oversight are essential to restore consumer confidence and ensure the safety of packaged tea sold in India.
