Temi Tea Garden
Encyclopedia
The Temi Tea Garden in Ravangla
, established in 1969 by the Government of Sikkim, is located in South Sikkim
in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim. It is the only tea garden in Sikkim
and considered one of the best in India and in the world. Top quality tea is produced, which is in demand in the international market. The garden is laid over a gradually sloping hill. The tea produced in this garden is also partly marketed under the trade name “Temi Tea”.
The guidelines issued by the Institute of Marketology (IMO) of Switzerland
to produce organic tea have been adopted in the Temi Tea Garden; a project initiated in April 2005 and nearing completion. In growing Organic Tea, agro-chemicals are avoided by the tea estates that results in low production costs. Many European countries and Japan
have shown preference for tea produced by adopting organic manuring method.
The garden has 406 workers supported by a staff of 43. Its annual tea production is on an average about 100 tonnes. The estate functions under a Tea Board set up by the Government of Sikkim and under its aegis the ‘Sang-Martam Tea Growers' Cooperative Society’ has been established to promote growing of different varieties of quality tea.”
Before the estate was created, the land was degraded forest with nurseries of the Forest Department. During the British rule this site was a landmark for Scottish
missionary buildings in the early 1900s, which then functioned as leprosy hospitals; the buildings have since been acquired by the Government of Sikkim.
Under the 'Sang Martam Tea Growers Society' (with 140 members), established in 1998, small farmers have joined hands and merged their land holdings and converted them into tea plantation. The combined area of land under this cooperative programme is about 30.4 hectares (75.1 acre). The tea production has just begun and the green leaves plucked in this estate are presently processed at the Temi Tea factory. The Society is also planning to establish its own tea-processing factory. The tea produced here is of the orthodox type.”
Flora and fauna
The floral composition of the tea estate consists of broad leaf vegetation comprising Alnus nepalensis (Uttis), Castanopsis
(Kattus), Macaranga
(Malata), Engelhardtia spicata (Mahua), Michelia
(Champ
), Toona ciliata (Tooni), Machilus
(Kawla), Symplocos (Kharane) and Cinnamomum
(Sinkoli). The estate's surroundings and approach road have also been made more scenic by planting Pine
(Dhupi) and Prunes (Cherry).
Weeds identified in the estate are Eupatorium
and Artemisia
and other secondary growth. Large Cardamom
plantations are also present in forest patches in the vicinity of the tea estate, apart from naturalized exotic Cryptomeria japonica patches.
Fauna includes species of the Kalij and Satyr Tragopan
; reptile species of Japalura
lizards, Cobra
, Krait and Himalayan
Pit Viper and Himalayan
Bullfrog
. Butterflies and Leech
es are also seen in the area.
and the balance 25% is marketed as packaged tea in the domestic market.
Organic tea
Tea production in this estate has been switched over from conventional method to 'Organic Method' according to the guidelines of the Institute of Marketology (IMO) of Switzerland. This conversion initiated in 2005 is reported to have been completed. The change over has involved use of organic bio
-fertilisers such as cattle
manure
, neem
cakes and vermi-composte manure replacing the chemical fertilisers used in the past. The Bangalore
unit of IMO inspects the product every year and issues IMO certificate. The Manager of the Temi Tea estate expects that as soon as the IMO declares the estate as an "organic garden", the "products will fetch higher prices in the market" and that "Temi tea, produced in four grades, (would) find ready markets in European
markets and Japan
". The Tea Board has already started exporting to Canada
and Japan in small quantities (100 kilograms (220.5 lb) of bulk tea at Rs 2500 per kg) at attractive prices.
, Temi Tea, which is following the organic growing practice is in popular demand in Europe
, particularly in Germany
. In line with the GI certification obtained for the "Choice Organic Darjeeling Tea", Temi Tea Estate has also applied for GI certification
for its Organic Temi Tea. According to the EXIM Bank source it is known that the Temi Tea is sold in the international market at Rs 2500 per kg (US$ 50/kg). EXIM Bank is also proposing to finance popularisation of Organic Tea by offering grant funds up to 50% to the tea estates, and in this context the GI certification would also help to protect the quality product of the estate.
Ravangla
Ravangla or Ravongla is a small tourist town situated at an elevation of 7000 ft in South Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim. It is connected by state highway to other major towns in the state and lies between Pelling and Gangtok. It acts as the starting point for the trek to maenam...
, established in 1969 by the Government of Sikkim, is located in South Sikkim
South Sikkim
South Sikkim is a district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Its capital is Namchi.-Geography:South Sikkim lies at an altitude of 400 to 2000 metres and hence enjoys a temperate climate for most of the year. Major urban centres include Teesta Bazaar and Melli....
in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim. It is the only tea garden in Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
and considered one of the best in India and in the world. Top quality tea is produced, which is in demand in the international market. The garden is laid over a gradually sloping hill. The tea produced in this garden is also partly marketed under the trade name “Temi Tea”.
The guidelines issued by the Institute of Marketology (IMO) of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
to produce organic tea have been adopted in the Temi Tea Garden; a project initiated in April 2005 and nearing completion. In growing Organic Tea, agro-chemicals are avoided by the tea estates that results in low production costs. Many European countries and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
have shown preference for tea produced by adopting organic manuring method.
Estate
The Temi Tea estate was established in 1969 covering an area of 177 hectares (437.4 acre). The lie of the land shows gentle slopes that originate from the Tendong hill range. The ground conditions indicate loamy soils with slope of 30–50%. The ground surface is subject to moderate erosion and is spread with reasonable degree of stones.The garden has 406 workers supported by a staff of 43. Its annual tea production is on an average about 100 tonnes. The estate functions under a Tea Board set up by the Government of Sikkim and under its aegis the ‘Sang-Martam Tea Growers' Cooperative Society’ has been established to promote growing of different varieties of quality tea.”
Before the estate was created, the land was degraded forest with nurseries of the Forest Department. During the British rule this site was a landmark for Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
missionary buildings in the early 1900s, which then functioned as leprosy hospitals; the buildings have since been acquired by the Government of Sikkim.
Under the 'Sang Martam Tea Growers Society' (with 140 members), established in 1998, small farmers have joined hands and merged their land holdings and converted them into tea plantation. The combined area of land under this cooperative programme is about 30.4 hectares (75.1 acre). The tea production has just begun and the green leaves plucked in this estate are presently processed at the Temi Tea factory. The Society is also planning to establish its own tea-processing factory. The tea produced here is of the orthodox type.”
Flora and fauna
The floral composition of the tea estate consists of broad leaf vegetation comprising Alnus nepalensis (Uttis), Castanopsis
Castanopsis
Castanopsis is a genus of evergreen trees belonging to the beech family, Fagaceae. The genus contains about 120 species, which are today restricted to tropical and subtropical eastern Asia. A total of 58 species are native to China, with 30 endemic; the other species occur further south, through...
(Kattus), Macaranga
Macaranga
Macaranga is a large genus of Old World tropical trees of the family Euphorbiaceae and the only genus in the subtribe Macaranginae. Native to Africa, Australasia, Asia and the South Pacific, the genus comprises over 300 different species. These plants are noted for being recolonizers...
(Malata), Engelhardtia spicata (Mahua), Michelia
Michelia
Michelia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Magnolia family . The genus includes about 50 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, native to tropical and subtropical south and southeast Asia , including southern China.-Description:The Magnoliaceae are an ancient family; fossil plants...
(Champ
Champ
Champ may refer to:*an abbreviation for champion, a winner of a competition*Champ Car, class and specification of cars used in American Championship Car Racing**Champ Car World Series, international open-wheel championship...
), Toona ciliata (Tooni), Machilus
Machilus
Machilus is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lauraceae. Is distributed in temperate, tropical and subtropical Asia. Machilus genus include currently more than 100 species, mostly in laurel forest habitat.-Overview:...
(Kawla), Symplocos (Kharane) and Cinnamomum
Cinnamomum
Cinnamomum is a genus of evergreen aromatic trees and shrubs belonging to the Laurel family, Lauraceae. The species of Cinnamomum have aromatic oils in their leaves and bark. The genus contains over 300 species, distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of North America, Central America,...
(Sinkoli). The estate's surroundings and approach road have also been made more scenic by planting Pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
(Dhupi) and Prunes (Cherry).
Weeds identified in the estate are Eupatorium
Eupatorium
Eupatorium is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae, containing from 36 to 60 species depending on the classification system. Most are herbaceous perennial plants growing to 0.5–3 m tall. A few are shrubs. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
and Artemisia
Artemisia (plant)
Artemisia is a large, diverse genus of plants with between 200 to 400 species belonging to the daisy family Asteraceae. It comprises hardy herbs and shrubs known for their volatile oils. They grow in temperate climates of the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, usually in dry or semi-dry...
and other secondary growth. Large Cardamom
Cardamom
Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds...
plantations are also present in forest patches in the vicinity of the tea estate, apart from naturalized exotic Cryptomeria japonica patches.
Fauna includes species of the Kalij and Satyr Tragopan
Satyr Tragopan
The Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyra, also known as the Crimson Horned Pheasant, is a pheasant found in the Himalayan reaches of India, Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. They reside in moist oak and rhododendron forests with dense undergrowth and bamboo clumps. Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, shrubland...
; reptile species of Japalura
Japalura
-Classification of genus Japalura:*Japalura andersoniana*Japalura brevipes*Japalura chapaensis*Japalura dymondi*Japalura fasciata*Japalura flaviceps*Japalura grahami*Japalura hamptoni*Japalura kaulbacki...
lizards, Cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
, Krait and Himalayan
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
Pit Viper and Himalayan
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
Bullfrog
Bullfrog
The American bullfrog , often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is an aquatic frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or “true frogs”, native to much of North America. This is a frog of larger, permanent water bodies, swamps, ponds, and lakes, where it is usually found...
. Butterflies and Leech
Leech
Leeches are segmented worms that belong to the phylum Annelida and comprise the subclass Hirudinea. Like other oligochaetes such as earthworms, leeches share a clitellum and are hermaphrodites. Nevertheless, they differ from other oligochaetes in significant ways...
es are also seen in the area.
Products
The tea produced by the Temi Tea estate are packaged (0.25 kilogram (0.551155655462194 lb) packages) under many brand names; the brand name "Temi Tea" is of the best quality consisting of pure tea "golden flowery orange pekoe #1 (TGOFP1)". The next in quality is the popular brand of 'Sikkim Solja' followed by 'Mystique' and 'Kanchanjunga Tea'. It is also sold in the form of 'Orthodox dust tea'. The Tea Garden Employees Consumers' Co-operative Society Ltd. markets these products at a kiosk in the vicinity of the Temi Tea factory. About 75% of the tea produced in this estate is auctioned in KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
and the balance 25% is marketed as packaged tea in the domestic market.
Organic tea
Tea production in this estate has been switched over from conventional method to 'Organic Method' according to the guidelines of the Institute of Marketology (IMO) of Switzerland. This conversion initiated in 2005 is reported to have been completed. The change over has involved use of organic bio
Bio
Bio may refer to:*Bio., Australian pay-TV channel*The Biography Channel, an American cable channel sometimes called bio*Bio , graffiti artist*Bio , a Chuck Berry album released in 1973 by Chess Records...
-fertilisers such as cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
manure
Manure
Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil...
, neem
Neem
Azadirachta indica is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of two species in the genus Azadirachta, and is native to India growing in tropical and semi-tropical regions. Its fruits and seeds are the source of neem oil...
cakes and vermi-composte manure replacing the chemical fertilisers used in the past. The Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
unit of IMO inspects the product every year and issues IMO certificate. The Manager of the Temi Tea estate expects that as soon as the IMO declares the estate as an "organic garden", the "products will fetch higher prices in the market" and that "Temi tea, produced in four grades, (would) find ready markets in European
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
markets and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
". The Tea Board has already started exporting to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Japan in small quantities (100 kilograms (220.5 lb) of bulk tea at Rs 2500 per kg) at attractive prices.
Demand
The tea produced at this tea estate is auctioned at the Kolkata Tea Auction Centre and has been able to garner one of the highest bids for its tea. Its export potential is gradually increasing and the Tea Board of the estate is making efforts to have direct link with international markets. In an effort to increase the production of Tea in Sikkim, the Industry Department of Sikkim has given an open invitation to entrepreneurs to establish more tea gardens in Sikkim. The state Government, under the Tenth Five Year Development Plan, has identified tea under the long term strategy “raising and processing of plantation crops i.e. tea, oranges and cardamom” as one of the thrust areas for industrial development of Sikkim.Awards
The Tea Board of India awarded the ‘All India Quality Award’ to the Temi Tea Garden for two consecutive years of 1994 and 1995.Future goals
According to the Chairman, EXIM BankExim Bank (India)
Export-Import Bank of India is the premier export finance institution of the country, established in 1982 under the Export-Import Bank of India Act 1981.-Description:...
, Temi Tea, which is following the organic growing practice is in popular demand in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, particularly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In line with the GI certification obtained for the "Choice Organic Darjeeling Tea", Temi Tea Estate has also applied for GI certification
Geographical indication
A geographical indication is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin...
for its Organic Temi Tea. According to the EXIM Bank source it is known that the Temi Tea is sold in the international market at Rs 2500 per kg (US$ 50/kg). EXIM Bank is also proposing to finance popularisation of Organic Tea by offering grant funds up to 50% to the tea estates, and in this context the GI certification would also help to protect the quality product of the estate.