The famed Darjeeling tea may have slipped to a new production low in 2025, as changing weather patterns, a shortage of pluckers and mounting economic stress weigh on the region's gardens.

Production from January to November of 2025 was at 5.19 million kg (M/kg) compared to 5.69 M/kg in the same period of 2024, down 8.79 per cent year-on year.

And the output is unlikely to increase substantially as the tea production ceases in November. Barring 2017, when production crashed to 3.2 M/kg the production has never been so low.

A new production low in 2025 would hardly be unexpected for Darjeeling, whose fabled gardens - home to the "champagne of teas" - have been hitting fresh lows year after year.

Production, which was 14.49 M/kg in 1990, has been on a steady downward trajectory since. The current output of 5.19 M/kg reflects the cumulative impact of problems that have built up over the years,

Source: TBI/Rediff (Extracts), Courtesy: Tea Exporters' Association Sri Lanka