Trade Facilitation Services (Tea)

License

No one can export tea from India unless he obtains license from Tea Board under the provision of Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order 1957.

Obtaining an Exporter’s License

Persons who wish to obtain license from Tea Board should apply in Form A.
A license fee of Rs. 100.00 has to be submitted along with the filled form. The filled in application form duly signed by the authorized representative of the firm/company should be submitted with the photocopies of the following documents:

• Trade License
• SST, CST with tea
• Income Tax clearance certificate
• Banker's certificate indicating the financial status of the company/firm

Tea Board ascertains the existence of the office premises of the firm/company after receipt of the application, verifies the documents with the original, after which Tea Board grants license to the applicant as per Form B, which is valid for three years.

Renewal/ Conversion of Exporter's License

Licensed tea exporters may apply for conversion of their temporary licenses of three years validity into a permanent one on the eve of the completion of that period as per Form CA. The renewal application should be supported with statistics indicating tea export performance during the previous three years. The original temporary exporter's license should be returned to the Tea Board. For renewal, no license fee is required. After satisfaction, Tea Board grants the Permanent exporter's license as per Form CB.
Information to be furnished by tea exporters

• Photocopies of the shipping bill in relation to tea export
• Monthly tea export return on a regular monthly basis
• Annual tea export return

Benefit available to tea exporters

No tea exporter can avail the benefit granted under MDEP Scheme unless he obtains license from Tea Board. No tea exporter can obtain RCMC as per provision of export import policy unless he obtains license from Tea Board. 

Grant of RCMC by Tea Board

Issuance of RCMC by Tea Board is distinctly different from the issuance of exporter license to tea exporters under the provision of Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order 1957. The procedure for submission of application and issuance of RCMC has been indicated in Chapter 13 of Hand Book of Procedures. Tea Board charges no fee in relation to issuance of RCMC. 

Matters relating to DGFT

As per Export Import Policy, Tea is considered as 'Consumer Goods' for the purpose of import. Tea can be imported without any license from SAARC countries. Import of tea from countries other than SAARC requires license from the office of DGFT/JDGFT. Import of tea by EOU and by other domestic unit under Duty exemption Scheme is allowed by Development Commissioner/DGFT subject to the condition of its re-exports with stipulated value addition. Tea Board acts as a sponsoring authority (Recommending authority) in relation to import of tea and packaging materials under Duty exemption Scheme.