Take a closer look at tea than simply the mix

The rainy season is what makes you realize how important having a nice cup of tea or two is.

Since 1859, when the first tea factory in the world was constructed in the area, the Makaibari tea estate in the heart of Darjeeling has been producing the finest tea in the whole world. It serves the top hotels and B2C tea suppliers around the nation and the globe with ace grade tea. Every year, Makaibari produces one lakh kg of tea. It appeals to a variety of palates for tea aficionados on a national and international level with blends including Limited Edition Autumn Blush, Silver Tips Imperial Darjeeling Fullmoon tea, Silver Green, Darjeeling Tea Bags, and others.

70% of Makaibari is still covered in forest, which helps to conserve the area’s biodiversity and animals. Due to the dream that the employees at Makaibari possess, who believe that the magical charm of the area is transferred via the teas that they passionately collect throughout the region’s seasons, the beauty of Makaibari estate is further revealed for hikers and tea lovers alike.

Since its founding, the Makaibari estate has led the way in introducing organic, fair trade, and biodynamic methods to tea and tropical agriculture. It was the first garden of its sort to get certifications for Organic, Fairtrade, and Demeter in 1988 and 1993, respectively. Rudra Chatterjee, the managing director of Luxmi Tea, spoke with IANSlife about the reasons why the Tea Estate is renowned for its mixes.

What kinds of noteworthy economic advancements are we seeing in the Makaibari Tea estate?

A: Since 2017, the Makaibari Tea Estate has seen tremendous economic growth. In well-built pucca homes, Makaibari pluckers and laborers reside. About 60% of families have two-wheelers, while 10% have four-wheelers. The estate encourages, uplifts, and empowers the local women. In a specialized facility, a group of women with specific training prepare a variety of skin creams and medications for skin infections, high blood pressure, and malnutrition, to mention a few.

A: Does the estate fund the community-based education of the employees’ kids, and how is it expanding job options?

A: Children have access to private schools, boarding schools, and convent schools since education is of the highest importance. Children in Makaibari have lifted the bar higher than merely in basic school and are making earnest attempts to succeed in higher education. Some are pursuing master’s degrees as well as graduate programs like B. Tech. and MBBS.

Our certified students are now employed at the Taj group’s illustrious hotels all throughout India. In addition, the community gives kids access to sports possibilities by giving them a venue outside of state lines or for intra-garden competitions.

Please provide more information on the estate’s traditional but environmentally friendly methods.

A: Due to the superior quality of Makaibari product, exports of tea are growing quickly every year. The quantity of green cover will ultimately double as a result of the growth of the forest area via reforestation. The Makaibari Tea Estate was the first in the area to adopt biodynamic methods, and it still adheres to them strictly today. These activities follow Demeter’s instructions. The tea plants at our estates have developed into a library of high-quality clones thanks to more than a century of careful maintenance, which industry veterans visit.

Clonal plants, developed from a single tea leaf, are chosen specifically for certain traits. Clonal selection produces consistent, preferable outcomes year-round without changing the plant’s genetic makeup. The saplings raised at Luxmi’s nurseries are selected to complement the characteristics of current varietals while also suiting the climate and soil. TV1, Panitola, and Samdang are three premium clones that are abundant in Luxmi’s gardens and provide the best tea. Workers at Makaibari, which is exclusive to this estate, use a celestial calendar to determine when to pick Silver Tips Imperial tea, which is the most costly tea in India. A full moon night’s high oxygen concentration in the air and cosmic alignment are said to generate a delicate, smoother tea leaf flavor. Workers at Makaibari get ready to harvest this exceptional tea as twilight falls over the farm. The guys beat drums and recite prayers while 80 to 100 trained employees hurry to remove two leaves and a bud from the plant.

Tallow candles fend off nearby wild animals while illuminating the bushes to aid in the pluckers’ vision. After the tea is harvested, it is transported to the factory well in advance of daybreak so that it may be processed before the sun rises. It is believed that sunlight changes the flavor and texture of tea. Gisovu, Rugabano, and Pfunda estates in Rwanda were acquired by us in 2017. These estates are able to produce foliage of exceptional quality because to a mix of favorable growing circumstances, conscientious smallholder farmers, and a skilled crew. We started the largest greenfield project that any Indian tea firm has ever started in Rwanda, where we also give jobs for the locals. Our whole selection of Rwandan teas is 100% pesticide-free and Rainforest Alliance certified.

A self-sustaining ecosystem like Makaibari encourages sustainable living and is active in the local movement. Comment.

A: Makaibari is a self-sustaining ecosystem in and of itself, not just the soil.

We have always believed in taking care of the workers and pickers in our community. Their health and aspirations are met, including good housing, healthcare for their families, and good education for their children, even as their skills are honed for picking the most succulent leaves. For each employee who looks after the plants, Luxmi has paid 100% of all of these necessities for the past 100 years.

Customers and employees’ health are important to Luxmi. Dense woods may be found on several of our estates, often covering double the size of the tea-growing zone. Many of our estates have fully stopped using pesticides and are switching to organic farming and permaculture practices. Each ounce of tea produced is put through exacting standard testing and is MRL certified.

Q: How are fair trade and ethics kept as a high priority in the entire development?

A: Since the Makaibari Joint Body’s inception, ethical development and fair trade have been top priorities, inspiring the local population to work for a better today. The workers and their families are the primary recipients of the Fairtrade premium, which is guaranteed by a global organization called Fairtrade. This premium helps in building schools for children, establish micro-credit services as well as strengthening the local communities, organizations within the tea estate, and bettering agricultural practices. Fairtrade makes sure that those who cultivate and harvest the tea at the estate make a decent living.

Last but not least, with the pandemic, immunity-boosting teas are in the spotlight… your thoughts?

A: Of course, maintaining health and boosting immunity have become paramount in the current scenario. Our tea collection might be the right alternative for people who seek to make a deliberate step towards a healthier lifestyle. The assortment principally features six of the world’s most famous teas which have been harvested among ancient forests in the Himalayas: Silver Tips Imperial, Silver Green, Springtime Bloom, Summer Solstice Muscatel, Bai Mu Dan, and Darjeeling. Each tea is a speciality whole leaf tea picked from chosen locations of our biodynamic and organic Makaibari Tea Estate.