Nilgiri tea is generally described as being a dad;, intensely aromatic, fragrant and flavoured tea grown in the southern portion of the Western Ghats mountains of Southern India, It is grown in the hills of the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, though there are numerous other lea-growing districts in South India as well, including Mannar and Central Travancore in Kerala state. Plantations only account for around 30% of tea production in Nilgiri District. The vast majority of production is undertaken by small growers, who typically own less Stan one hectare each. The majority of Nilgiri tea small growers are the Badagas, a local community of agriculturists.