Religious practice is usually mixed with Hindu ritual, magic, and popular beliefs. This mountainous region has a rather limited amount of cultivable land. Various estimates have placed the number of acres utilized for tea production between approximately 42,000 and 49,000 acres. The total production ranges from 10 to 11 million kilograms annually. Many factors contribute to this tea's unique qualities with altitude being one of the most important.
Different altitudes produce different teas.
Tea Lover's Treasury . All About Tea , states further that at 4,000 feet there occurs definite change in temperature and humidity with a distinct 'mist line' between 4,000 and 4,500 feet. At this level the climate is relatively cooler which slows the growth rate of the tea. Slight differences in elevation can produce remarkable differences in the size and quality of leaf. Republic of Tea .