Division 3.7 Specific rules concerning labelling

On each package the licence number of the producer/packeter under the Darjeeling Protection Certified Trade Mark Scheme 1999 governed by the Tea Board of India (a statutory body formed under The Tea Act of 1953 of India empowering them to administer the production of tea) has to be provided, as well as the registered Darjeeling logo (a stylised representation of an Indian woman holding tea leaves in a roundel). The woman design element has a stylised circular ear ring and a nose stud. The word mark ‘Darjeeling’ skirts the left portion of the roundel. All these elements blend together to constitute the Darjeeling logo.

The special Darjeeling logo, created in 1983 and registered as a collective trademark in India, is a labelling requirement, for tea that has been certified by the Board as conforming to the standards and characteristics of Darjeeling tea. Since its introduction, the Darjeeling logo has always appeared on packaging cartons/chest under the control of the Board.

The Tea Board has obtained registration of the Darjeeling logo as a Certification Mark under the Indian Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958.

The Tea Board has also registered the Darjeeling logo under the new Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999.

The nomenclature of grading is not compulsory on the label.