Darjeeling tea to resurface after gardens reopen

As soon as the estates reopen, it will take at most five days for the gardens to initiate sales

Darjeeling tea, most famous of the Indian varieties, will be available this year, though in limited quantity, despite the prolonged shutdown in the hills owing to the Gorkhaland agitation.

After the gardens reopen, the harvest of the second flush (growing period) can be put for sale and is expected to fetch high prices in international markets. Owing to the shutdown in the Darjeeling hills since June 11, it was feared that the Muscatel flush would be unavailable.

Producers suggest the shutdown happened when harvesting of the second flush had started. 

“Some plucking had happened just before the shutdown and is of extremely high