The Darjeeling Tea Planters' Association told reporters on Sunday that a watchdog had been appointed to detect if tea dealers in other countries were selling ``Darjeeling-type tea,''.

``A Belgium watchdog agency, Compumark, has been appointed on March 1 (1998) to detect use of the word ``Darjeeling'' in branded tea in the international market,'' chairman AK Lohia of the association said.

``People are misusing the name `Darjeeling.' Last year, world tea production fell and prices rose by 30 per cent, but Darjeeling tea's prices did not rise due to the misuse,'' he said.

``Darjeeling tea is the champagne among teas. Its unique flavour cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world,'' Lohia said. The association has approached the state-run Tea Board and the commerce ministry to take steps to protect tea planters ofDarjeeling, who export more than 70 per cent of the 10 million kg (22.5 million lb) of tea produced every year in the region.

Tea Board chairman SS Ahuja, declined to comment on the alleged misuse of the Darjeeling logo, but said the government would protect the interests of planters.

The federal government is expected to introduce legislation to protect geographical indications like Basmati rice and Darjeeling tea as stipulated under the trade related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.

``The legislation will be introduced in the next session of parliament,'' commerce minister Ramakrishna Hegde told reporters last week.

The legislation will protect goods whose quality can be attributed to their geographical origin.

Lohia said Darjeeling tea, planted more than 100 years ago, got its unique flavour from the region's soil chemistry, altitude, cool Himalayan breeze, and the rainfall.

Lohia said despite its unique flavour and high price in the market, tea gardens in Darjeeling were notflush with funds.

``We face many difficulties. Our gardens are located in a rough mountainous terrain. There is a power shortage and the road network is bad,'' Lohia said.

Low productivity was another problem faced by tea growers in Darjeeling. Gardens in Darjeeling produce barely 500 kg of tea per hectare, while those in the fertile plains of Assam produce 1,800 kg.

``Our plants are more than a 100 years old, and we have restricted the use of pesticides to meet the demands of our buyers in the West. This has affected our output,'' Lohia said.

Planters were looking at ways of improving profitability.

``We are waking up from our slumber. We have collected funds to market our products aggressively. We are the only planters' association, which has set up a website,'' said Sanjay Bansal, who owns a garden in Darjeeling.

India, whose share in the world tea market is 18 per cent, exported 203 million kg of tea out of 811 million produced in 1997. India accounts for 30 per cent of global output and 24per cent of consumption.