Sourcing Dooars CTC tea:
what buyers need to know before they order.

If you are a tea wholesaler, distributor, or blender looking to source CTC tea from North Bengal, Dooars is the region to know. It is not as internationally famous as Darjeeling, which sits in the hills above it — but in terms of volume, consistency, and value for money in the CTC segment, Dooars is one of the most important tea-producing regions in India. This is a practical guide for buyers who want to understand what they are sourcing before they place an order.

What Dooars CTC tea is

The Dooars region covers the foothills and plains at the base of the Eastern Himalayas in West Bengal, stretching from the Teesta River to the Sankosh. Over 150 tea gardens operate in this belt, ranging from large estate producers to smaller cooperative gardens. The elevation is low — mostly 100 to 400 metres — which produces a different character of tea than the high-altitude Darjeeling gardens above.

CTC stands for Crush, Tear, Curl — a processing method where withered tea leaves are passed through cylindrical rollers that crush and cut them into small granules rather than rolling them into the intact-leaf shapes used in orthodox processing. CTC processing produces a tea that brews quickly, delivers a strong, consistent cup with high colour extraction, and works well in tea bags and in the strong milk tea preparations that are standard across India, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Dooars CTC is known specifically for its deep reddish-amber liquor, full body, and briskness. It is not delicate — it is built for a strong cup with milk. Buyers who understand this character source Dooars CTC for blending into daily-use tea brands, for packaged tea products, and for direct wholesale to distributors and retailers who supply tea shops, hotels, and households.

How Dooars differs from Assam and Darjeeling

Buyers commonly ask how Dooars compares to the other major North Indian tea regions:

Versus Darjeeling: Darjeeling is almost entirely orthodox-processed, high-altitude, and commands significant price premiums for its distinctive muscatel character and light, floral liquor. Dooars CTC and Darjeeling orthodox serve completely different markets and are not substitutes for each other. A buyer sourcing for daily-use packaged tea is sourcing Dooars or Assam CTC, not Darjeeling.

Versus Assam: Assam CTC is produced at higher volume and is slightly more malty and robust in character. Dooars CTC tends to have a brighter colour in the cup and slightly lighter body. Many blenders combine Dooars and Assam CTC for balance — Dooars adds brightness and colour; Assam adds depth. The two are complementary rather than competing. Rural SCM sources both, which gives buyers the option to take either or a combination depending on their product requirement.

CTC grades and what they mean

CTC tea is graded by the size and uniformity of the granule produced in processing. For buyers, the main grades to understand:

• BP (Broken Pekoe) — larger granule, slower-brewing, slightly lighter colour. Used in premium packaged tea and loose-leaf retail.
• BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe) — medium granule, the most widely traded grade. Standard for packaged tea blends and wholesale supply.
• BOPSM (Broken Orange Pekoe Small) — smaller and denser than BOP, faster-brewing with high colour extraction. Common in tea bag production.
• PD (Pekoe Dust) — fine grade, very fast-brewing, deep colour. Used in tea bags and institutional supply.
• Dust — finest grade, near-instant colour extraction. Used in tea bags and instant tea products.

For most wholesale buyers supplying the Bhutan, Nepal, or Northeast India market, BOP and BOPSM are the working grades. If you are supplying tea bags or institutional catering, PD and Dust grades are relevant. Confirm the grade you need before requesting a price — the same garden produces multiple grades and the price difference between them is meaningful.

Seasonality and crop quality

Dooars tea follows a seasonal production cycle. The first flush (spring) runs from March to April and produces a lighter, brighter cup. The second flush (summer, May to June) is generally considered the best quality for CTC — stronger liquor, good body, consistent character. The rains crop (July to September) produces higher volume but lighter quality. Autumn flush (October to November) varies by garden.

For buyers purchasing in volume for blending or distribution, second flush Dooars CTC is the benchmark. If you are buying in the rains season (July to September), expect slightly lighter cups and adjust your blend ratios accordingly. Most experienced buyers in the region understand this cycle and plan their stock positions around it.

Wholesale quantities and sourcing

Dooars CTC tea is sold in paper sacks of 40 kg or plywood chests of approximately 40 kg. Garden-direct pricing is benchmarked against the Kolkata and Guwahati tea auction prices, which are publicly available. Buyers sourcing outside the auction system — directly from gardens or through established traders — typically negotiate at or around auction-level prices depending on volume and relationship.

Minimum quantities vary by supplier. For cross-border export to Bhutan, a practical minimum shipment is one tonne (25 sacks), which fills a small truck and keeps per-unit freight costs reasonable. Larger buyers typically move 5 to 10 MT per order. Rural SCM handles quantities from one tonne upwards for Bhutan-bound shipments and can aggregate supply from multiple gardens for larger requirements.

For export beyond Bhutan — to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, or other markets — FSSAI compliance, phytosanitary certification, and IEC documentation are required on the Indian side. These are standard for any registered exporter and add a lead time of a few working days to the documentation process.

What to check before placing an order

• Grade specification — confirm the exact grade (BP, BOP, BOPSM, PD, Dust) in writing. Grades are not interchangeable.
• Crop and season — ask which flush the available stock is from. This affects cup character and blending ratios.
• Moisture level — tea should be within 5% moisture at dispatch. Excess moisture causes quality deterioration in transit.
• Packaging — confirm sack or chest, weight per unit, and whether packaging is food-grade and export-standard if you are moving it across a border.
• Sample before commitment — any credible supplier will provide a 1 to 2 kg sample for evaluation before a commercial order. Taste it. The cup should match the specification.

Grade descriptions and seasonal characteristics reflect standard Dooars CTC production as of 2026. Auction price benchmarks are publicly available via the Kolkata Tea Auction Centre and Guwahati Tea Auction Centre.