Tea plantation flourishes in Tripura

With its favourable agro-climatic conditions, many tea planters are being attracted to Tripura.

By Pinaki Das

Agartala, June 16 : With its favourable agro-climatic conditions, many tea planters are being attracted to Tripura.

Durgabari tea estate in Bamutia, west of Tripura, is an example of this trend.

Durgabari is a workers' co-operative. Unlike other tea estates the workers here are the owners.

"The tea estate is owned by the workers. They form the autonomous working committee, along with the bank and the co-operative department," said Rabindra Chandra Choudhury, Manager of Durgabari.

The condition of the workers is slowly but steadily improving.

Sadesh, a worker, said: "Now after forming the co-operative, we are very happy. We are making profit. Recently, we had installed a factory with the earnings from this garden and some loan from the bank. And now we have repaid back all the loans."

"This garden is better than other gardens as here we get our salary regularly. We also get our holidays. Nearby many gardens have closed down as they are in loss but here we get work throughout the year," Sunati Sarkar, another worker, said.

In 1978, Durgabari was spread over 30 acres of land and had only 19,000 plants. But today, it produces 3000 kg of tea per hectare with an annual production of two lakh kilograms of final made tea.

Impressed by the performance of Durgabari, the tea board of India along with the North Eastern council has commissioned a modern factory in the estate. The tea board is also implementing the latest techniques to improve production in other parts of the country.

"Our success story is being told by the tea board to closed tea gardens in states like Kerala and West Bengal. I was asked to visit these places and educate them," said Sudhayamoy Mazumdar, founder member of Durgabari.

Tea gardens were first established in Tripura in 1916. Today, there are over 60 tea estates and 4,000 small tea growers. Tripura ranks fifth among the fourteen tea producing states in the country.

And with the tea board showing an active interest, the State can look forward to a bright future for the plantation workers.

ANI