Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), a key player in the tea industry with brands like Brooke Bond Red Label, Taj Mahal, and Taaza, has forged a strategic alliance with the Tea Research Association (TRA) based in Tocklai, Jorhat. This partnership, aimed at addressing climate change-induced challenges in the tea sector, underscores HUL’s commitment to sustainability and resilience.
Recognizing the vulnerability of tea cultivation to climate variability, including erratic rainfall and soil erosion, HUL and TRA will embark on a comprehensive ‘Lifecycle Analysis’ to assess the carbon footprint of Indian tea production. Leveraging this data, the collaboration seeks to develop tailored mitigation and adaptation strategies to minimize carbon impacts throughout the tea value chain.
The initiative also aims to provide policymakers with crucial insights to inform the formulation of supportive policies for transitioning to a sustainable, low-carbon production model. While climate change adaptation measures have been initiated, there remains a significant gap in addressing mitigation efforts, an aspect this partnership seeks to address.
A spokesperson from HUL expressed the intent to calculate the carbon footprint for tea estates, enabling businesses to make informed decisions regarding carbon management strategies. Moreover, the initiative targets large tea estates to adopt low-carbon production methods, aligning with the preferences of environmentally conscious consumers.
The project, encompassing 19 tea estates and factories and 19 small tea growers across major tea-growing regions like Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, is poised to benefit approximately 15,000 hectares of land. Through collaborative efforts, HUL and TRA aim to foster sustainability and resilience in the tea industry, paving the way for a greener and more environmentally responsible future.