Consider the following statements with reference to tea industry in Assam:
i) Assam is the largest tea-producing State in India. ii) Tocklai Tea Research Institute was established near Jorhat with a view to carry on research on cultivation and manufacture of tea. iii) Robert Bruce in 1823 discovered tea plants growing wild in Upper Brahmaputra Valley.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Correct option is D

The correct answer is (d) All of the above
Explanation: • Assam is the largest tea-producing state in India, contributing more than 50% of India’s total tea production. • Tocklai Tea Research Institute, established in 1911 near Jorhat, is the oldest and largest tea research station in the world. It conducts research on tea cultivation, processing, and productivity. • Robert Bruce discovered tea plants in 1823 growing wild in the Upper Brahmaputra Valley, which marked the beginning of organized tea cultivation in Assam. • The British later commercialized tea plantations in Assam under the East India Company. • Assam tea became globally renowned for its strong flavor, bright color, and brisk taste.
Information Booster: • India is the second-largest tea producer in the world after China. • The Assam Tea received Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2007. • Tea cultivation in Assam mainly occurs in the Brahmaputra Valley and Barak Valley regions. • Assam’s tea industry employs millions, directly and indirectly, and is a major foreign exchange earner. • The Assam Tea Auction Centre, Guwahati is one of the busiest tea trading centers in the world.