Bengal to build tea park on port land
Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) has received a request from the Bengal government for permission to establish a tea park on approximately 10–12 acres of its land, which the former has accepted.
SMPK, previously known as Kolkata Port Trust, possesses land holdings totalling approximately 11,000 acres, with 4,500 acres in Kolkata and 6,500 acres in Haldia.
While Darjeeling Tea, a renowned export of Bengal, is shipped from the state, its processing currently takes place in Dubai. The state government aims to create a tea park in Kolkata equipped with all necessary infrastructure, including sourcing, blending and packaging facilities, to keep the entire processing within the city.
Dubai’s comprehensive tea infrastructure in the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone has helped it established itself as a significant global trading centre for tea.
Furthermore, SMPK has plans to develop exclusive economic zones in the port areas of Kolkata and Haldia by the year 2030.
