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Started 1 week ago · Updated 6 days ago

India Eases Tea Import Rules, Resuming Nepali Exports After Testing Halt

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India's Tea Board has revised its testing regulations for imported tea, effectively removing a non-tariff barrier that had halted Nepali tea exports for approximately three weeks. The updated directive, issued on May 19, 2026, exempts tea intended for India's domestic market from mandatory Tea Board testing, allowing exports to resume normally. According to Kamal Mainali, president of the Nepal Tea Association, the revised provisions have removed obstacles for Nepali tea exports to the Indian market.

  • The previous regulation, effective May 1, required mandatory laboratory testing for all imported tea consignments, causing significant disruption to Nepal's tea exports.
  • Under the amended rules, tea imported for re-export to third countries will still undergo mandatory quality testing by the Tea Board of India.
  • Customs authorities and India's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will continue sample-based inspections for tea destined for the domestic market.
  • The revised directive also shortens the processing time for test reports, requiring laboratories to upload results within five days of sample receipt.
  • Nepali tea traders had referred to the previous testing requirement as an 'undeclared blockade' by India.

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