Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha inaugurated the new brand of Tripura Tea Development Corporation ‘Tripureswari Premium Tea’ at the press conference hall Secretariat today.
After inaugurating, he said, the decaying tea gardens in the state are being brought back to life under the supervision of Tripura Tea Development Corporation. As a result, the tea industry of the state is growing gradually. He said, branding plays an important role in marketing of tea. At first, Tripureswari Tea brand was started and now ‘Tripureswari Premium Tea’ brand has been started. Tripura stands fifth in the country in tea production. The quantity of tea production in the state has increased from 9 to 10 million kg in few years, which is about 10% of tea produced in India.
The Chief Minister said, among 54 tea gardens in the state, three of them are run by TTDC, 12 tea gardens are run by cooperative bodies and 39 tea gardens are run by private bodies. About 12,990 Ha land is covered with tea garden. He said, there are total 22 tea factories in the state. Among these, two of them are run by TTDC, five of them are run by cooperative bodies and 15 of them are run by private bodies. More than 14 thousand workers are appointed in tea gardens and tea factories. Apart from that, there are about 2,800 micro tea farmers in the state. The Chief Minister said, the state government is assisting in different ways to develop and expand the tea industry, starting from easy availability of land to proper environment for tea cultivation. The Chief Minister mentioned about future plans of generating more work opportunities through tea industry, finding ways to accelerate marketing, exporting of tea to neighboring country Bangladesh and of opening a tea auction centre in the state.
The Chief Minister also said, a tea processing factory has been set up at Panchamnagar tea garden. Two modern packaging machines have been installed at Durgabari tea garden. Efforts have been made towards modernization and repair of Central Tea Processing Centre and Brahmakunda Tea Processing Centre. Furthermore, initiatives have been taken to modernize, develop and beautify Balaka Tourist Cottage, Brahmakunda Tourist Lodge of Kamalasagar tea garden and Shyamali Guest Houses of Durgabari tea garden. Initiative also has been taken to set up a tea processing centre in Machmara. Natural gas is now being used instead of coals at the Central Tea Processing Centre, Durgabari.
Chairman of TTDC Santosh Saha said, Tripureswari Tea brand was brought after the present state government took over and have been distributed to the public through different ration shops with the assistance of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs department. He said, the Corporation felt the need to start another new tea brand of quality to fulfill the demand of the market besides the ration shops and of the public. He informed that a private body has expressed the interest to keep the state-grown organic tea and green tea etc. in different airports of the country. Other dignitaries present were Chief Advisor of Durgabari Cooperative Society Gopal Chakraborty, Managing Director of TTDC Manik Lal Das and other members of the board.
