Darjeeling planters target expats and high net worth individuals SECTIONS Share Synopsis Darjeeling First Flush, the earliest leaves and buds harvested in the season, is plucked between late February and early April. Darjeeling tea is produced in 87 tea estates, spread over 17,600 hectares. Darjeeling tea was the first Indian product to get a GI (geographical indication) tag and is exported to 40 countries. Darjeeling First Flush, or Chateau Lafite Rothschild in the world of teas, is going virtually nowhere this summer. Teas that fetch up to $170 a kg in Europe need patrons in India now, with exclusive cafes and tea lounges in London, Berlin and Munich staying shut in the aftermath of the second wave of the coronavirus.