Temi Tea estate is located in Temi, South Sikkim and is one of the
best tea producing tea estate in the country. It was established in the year
1969 with an estimated area of 435 acres. It employees a total number of 406
wokers and 43 staff members. It produces about 100 MT tea annually. During the
year 1997-98 the production figure of Temi Tea garden has drastically improved
by producing 1,16,000 Kgs. tea leaves which is the highest record ever achieved
till date. During this year a total revenue of Rs. 2.18 crores was credited to
the State exchequer. Temi tea garden received All India Quality Award ; from
Tea Board of India for the two consecutive years i.e. 1994 and 1995. The one and only tea garden in Sikkim produces top quality tea for the international market. The garden spread out on gentle hill slop provides panoramic views
he Temi Tea Garden (27.2367°N
88.4222°E) 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.[1][2][3] 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 Temi Tea estate was established in 1969
covering an area of 177 hectares (440 acres). 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.[1][2][3] [4] 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 acres). 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 Leeches are also seen
in the area
The tea produced by the Temi Tea estate are
packaged (0.250 kilograms (0.55 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.[7] About
75% of the tea produced in this estate is auctioned in Kolkata 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 lb) of bulk tea at Rs 2500
per kg) at attractive prices. 
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