There have been plenty of exposes about the exploitation of workers in various industries—be it garment, coffee or palm oil. A UK report lays bare the abuse of tea workers—who still work like indentured slaves on plantations.
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Researched by: Rachel John
First the basic deets
The key numbers: Tea is the most consumed beverage after water. In 2022, the global market was valued at $23.2 billion. China is the largest producer of tea—accounting for 47% of the global supply. India is up next at 20%. Other key tea-producing countries are Kenya, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The process: Tea is made in two primary ways. The more expensive version is called ‘orthodox’—where tea leaves are processed by hand or using the help of machines that replicate the same. The other is CTC, which stands for crush, tear and curl, is the method developed for making large quantities of black tea with the help of machinery. The fancier Darjeeling tea uses the ‘orthodox’ method—while Assam tea is CTC:
Plucking of Darjeeling teas is done using a very high standard as the teas produced there are only specialty orthodox teas. These teas have a lighter liquor, are less astringent, and significantly more layered, floral and fragrant than other black teas. In Assam, the plucking standards are considerably different from Darjeeling. Only 5 to 6 day-old leaves are plucked in Darjeeling, whereas 7 to 10 day-old leaves are harvested in Assam tea estates.
Both varieties, however, go through the same stages: tea plucking, withering, rolling, fermentation, drying—and finally cleaning and sorting (explained in greater length here).
The report: was released by the UK-based Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC). Its findings are based on the data collected from 3,100 estates and factories linked to 20 companies. The core conclusion: around 13 million tea estate workers suffer “endemic human rights abuses” in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda, and 43 other countries, The 16 companies who receive most of their tea from these plantations are: Ahmad Tea, Bettys & Taylors, Ekaterra, Goodricke, James Finlay, Jenier, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Plus, Ringtons, Starbucks Teavana, Tesco, Tetley, Twinings, Typhoo and Unilever.
The great burden of tea making
The big picture: The tea industry is in trouble because production costs have been rising—but prices have remained relatively unchanged. The demand for tea in the West is also declining—causing a glut. The pandemic made everything worse—as did the Ukraine war—which increased shipping, fuel and fertiliser costs. Many estates, particularly in India, have been forced to close, while others are fighting for survival.
Now throw in climate change:
[T]ea is largely grown in parts of the world most vulnerable to climate change. Erratic weather patterns are already disrupting growing seasons and contributing to lower yields and a lower quality product. Fifteen of India’s 25 most climate-vulnerable districts are in Assam, its main tea-producing state. In Kenya, which produces close to half of all the tea consumed in the UK, it is estimated the area of optimal tea-growing conditions will be reduced by more than a quarter by 2050.
The burden of economic misery: is unsurprisingly paid by those at the very bottom of the supply chain: The estate workers—who are far more vulnerable than their peers who work on coffee or cocoa plantations. The reason: the industry is dominated by a handful of multinational corporations—which exercise tremendous leverage on the market. They can easily bully everyone down the supply chain to cut down costs to preserve their profits. All of which sets up the perfect conditions for exploitation.
Indentured labour: Fifteen of the allegations in the UK report are related to wages, benefits and compensation. The income of tea workers around the world has remained shockingly poor. Back in 2015, a BBC investigation revealed this about Assam:
Living and working conditions are so bad, and wages so low, that tea workers and their families are left malnourished and vulnerable to fatal illnesses. There was also a disregard for health and safety, with workers spraying chemicals without protection, and on some estates, child labour being used.
At the time, the big global brands—PG Tips, Tetleys and Twinings—who sourced their tea from Assam pledged to do better. But nothing changed—as this 2018 study revealed: “All lived below the poverty line and workers on certified farms were often treated worse, facing beatings and sexual violence and having wages and benefits withheld.”
What the companies say: The big brands who responded to the latest report hid behind the usual excuse: they require suppliers to pay the minimum legal wage in their country. And they shove responsibility down the supply chain:
We recognise that wage issues in tea supply chains are complex, caused by a multitude of factors and cannot be addressed by one stakeholder alone. Problems include but are not limited to: low minimum wage levels set by governments; the prevalence of informal, low paid labour; the historically low retail price of tea; and business practices that can result in downward competitive pressure.
About that minimum wage: In response to the 2018 Assam strike, the union government had promised to increase the daily wage from Rs 167 to Rs 350—but did absolutely nothing about it. In 2020, 400,000 workers went on strike—and the state government finally lurched into action—likely because state elections were round the corner. Tea workers account for 17% of the population—and are key to victory in 40 seats.
Why the state matters: A 2023 IndiaSpend report reveals that little has changed for tea workers in Darjeeling and Assam—who are the lowest paid. They still make a paltry Rs 232—which buys very little given the spiralling inflation. But in neighbouring Sikkim, workers get Rs 500 a day—and Rs 400 in Kerala.
Very big point to note: The demographic profile of the Indian tea worker is no less damning. Women account for over 50% of the workforce—and in some arduous roles, such as tea plucking, that number is as high as 80%:
The most difficult and hazardous work, involving carrying very heavy loads, is performed by women workers. Women carry more than 40 kilograms of green leaf on their backs every day for years since they are very young, and later whether they are pregnant or old. Over 90% of the tea workers are either scheduled tribes or scheduled castes—the lowest in the caste, ethnicity, class and resource hierarchy. Most of the families of the workers have been forcibly or fraudulently brought to the tea gardens several generations ago.
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka: Tea workers account for 5% of the population—and were devastated when the economy collapsed in 2021. Production fell to a 26-year low—while prices of food, fuel and medicine soared. Worse, in Sri Lanka, the estates deduct costs of amenities such as childcare at source–which often come to 50% of the paycheck. Quote to note: “If we work 22 or 23 days, because of all the cuts we only get about 15, 16 days’ worth of pay.” FYI: Workers must pick at least 18 kg a day to earn 1,000 Sri Lankan rupees ($3.25). And keeping with the colonial plantation theme:
The tea estates are run by companies that lease land from the government. Most workers are Malayaga Tamils, descendants of indentured labourers brought from southern India by British colonisers. Most still live in the tiny homes built by the British, which are now owned by the plantations.
Meanwhile, in Kenya: A BBC documentary aired in February revealed the shocking level of sexual violence in tea farms across the country. Seventy women on Kenyan tea farms—owned for years by British companies Unilever and James Finlay & Cothey—revealed they had been forced into sex by supervisors—in order to keep their job. In some cases, women workers contracted AIDS due to the abuse.
FYI: Unilever declared a “zero tolerance policy” after a similar investigation 10 years ago. This time around, Unilever claimed it was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the allegations—and quietly sold its Kenya operation while the BBC was secretly filming.
The bottomline: Something to think about when we enjoy our favourite (and cheap) cup of chai.
Reading list
You can learn more about how different kinds of tea are made in Thrillist and GQ. BBC News has the history of tea, as well. Read the original UK report here. For sex abuse in Kenya, check out the highlights of the BBC News doc. The best pieces on exploitation of Indian tea workers are in Economic and Political Weekly and India Spend. The Guardian has more on the sad state of affairs in Sri Lanka.
