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Darjeeling Tea Facts |
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According
to the census carried out in the hills in 1971, the total population
of three hill sub-divisions Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong
was approximately 600,000. From the records maintained by the
tea gardens, the resident population is over 300,000.
Apart from tourism, Tea is the biggest industrial activity, offering
the largest employment in the hills. The turnover of the Darjeeling
tea industry is nearly 7.5 million USD, which is more than the
money generated by tourism in the Darjeeling hills. Because of
its location, Darjeeling was the hot-weather headquarters of the
Bengal government under the British Raj and a popular vacation
spot. It is famous today as the place of exile of the Dalai Lama.
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The fine quality and flavour of Darjeeling
tea has resulted in it having a worldwide reputation for excellence.
The tea is grown at an elevation of 750 - 2000 metre in century
old Tea Gardens. It can take up to ten years before the leaves
are ready to be plucked. The tea bushes are nurtured by intermittent
rainfall, sunshine and moisture laden mellow mists. The soil is
rich and the hilly terrain provides natural drainage for the generous
rainfall the district receives.
The high quality results in extremely low yields, only some 10
million kilos of tea a year. The taste of Darjeeling varies with
the seasons. The first growth after the Winter dormant period
(the First Flush) producing astringent flavoury teas much prized
by some buyers, particularly in Germany. However, some people
thinks that the finest tea produced each year comes from the second
growth (Second Flush) which produces a more mature and lasting
flavour. The tea has a full taste with a hint of muscat.
There are only 86 Tea Estates which produce Darjeeling Tea on
a total area of 19,000 hectares and the tea from Darjeeling makes
up for 3 per cent of India's total production. The Darjeeling
tea industry at present employs over 52 thousand people on a permanent
basis, while a further 15,000 persons are engaged during the plucking
season which lasts from March to November. More than 60 percent
are women and the employment is on a family basis.
The income of a garden worker is half in the form of cash and
the other half by way of perquisites. For example, the workers
are provided with free accommodation, subsidised cereal ration
and free medical benefits. Gardens used to run primary schools
which have since been taken over by the government but the buildings
continue to be maintained by the garden management.
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Almost 40 million kg is sold as "Darjeeling
Tea" when the actual production capacity is just 10 million. Most
of this teas comes from Sri Lanka and Kenya and in an effort to
stop this market a logotype is developed. Some of the fake tea
is called Lanka Darjeeling or Hamburg Darjeeling but most of the
time it's called Pure Darjeeling.
Japan, a largely orthodox-tea growing area, has already discovered
the chemical constituents present in the Darjeeling variety, but
industry watchers say that this will not enable them to grow the
true Darjeeling variety.
According to the Tea Board Of India, "Darjeeling Tea" means: "tea
which has been cultivated, grown, produced, manufactured and processed
in tea gardens (current schedule whereof is attached hereto) in
the hilly areas of Sadar Sub-Division, only hilly areas of Kalimpong
Sub-Division comprising of Samabeong Tea Estate, Ambiok Tea Estate,
Mission Hill Tea Estate and Kumai Tea Estate and Kurseong Sub-Division
excluding the areas in jurisdiction list 20,21,23,24,29,31 and
33 comprising Subtiguri Sub-Division of New Chumta Tea Estate,
Simulbari and Marionbari Tea Estate of Kurseong Police Station
in Kurseong Sub-Division of the District of Darjeeling in the
State of West Bengal, India. Tea which has been processed and
manufactured in a factory located in the aforesaid area, which,
when brewed, has a distinctive, naturally occurring aroma and
taste with light tea liquour and the infused leaf of which has
a distinctive fragrance."
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Darjeeling tea gardens are unlikely to be opened
to tourists any time soon despite the best efforts of the West
Bengal government and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.
The lease contracts between the tea garden owners and the state
government do not provide for any tourism-related activity in
the gardens. Therefore, the garden owners want the contracts suitably
changed before they can allow tourists in. They also want specific
guidelines regarding revenue sharing with the local government.
The tea planters also want guidelines regarding the procedure
of collecting revenue from the tourists.
The contracts do neither allow the garden owners to make new constructions
within the prescribed area nor use a section of it for purposes
not mentioned in the contract.
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Information
Courtesy Max Tillberg |
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