Assam Startup Creates Microplastic-Free Organic Tea

After watching tea farmers douse crops with pesticides and preservatives for years, mechanical engineer Bijit Sarma decided to rewrite his home state's tea story.

In 2017, fresh out of college, Sarma launched Esah Tea in Assam with a mission to eliminate the chemicals that had become standard in India's iconic tea industry. The region produces some of the world's most distinctive teas, but concerns about pesticides and sustainability had been mounting for years.

The biggest challenge wasn't developing cleaner products. It was convincing farmers to change centuries-old practices.

"Convincing farmers to move from inorganic to natural farming was very challenging," Sarma recalls. The transition took three years of patient work with growers before Esah Tea could launch its first product in 2020.

That first product was a completely microplastic-free tea bag, addressing a hidden problem most tea drinkers never consider. Traditional tea bags often contain plastic fibers that leach into hot water, but Esah's bags use only natural materials.

The company started with three products. Today, it offers 60 different teas, including a new iced tea line called Oji Ice Tea that brings organic practices to mainstream consumers.

Sarma's timing proved fortunate. In 2017, Assam implemented its first startup policy, creating government-backed incubation programs and mentorship opportunities that didn't exist a decade earlier.

"The government is supporting from A to Z," Sarma says. Esah Tea was among the first companies incubated under the new policy, receiving both funding from regional investors and operational guidance from state programs.

The Ripple Effect

Esah Tea's growth signals something bigger than one successful company. It shows how regional startup ecosystems can nurture locally grounded solutions to global problems.

The farmers who once relied on chemical pesticides now have a market for organic crops. Consumers worldwide gain access to cleaner tea. And Assam's tea heritage gets a sustainable future instead of a dated past.

Sarma believes this moment offers unprecedented opportunity for entrepreneurs in northeast India. "10 to 15 years ago, the opportunities were not there," he notes, encouraging others to build businesses in the region.

The company continues expanding its organic product line while staying rooted in Assam's tea traditions, proving that heritage and innovation don't have to compete.