Temi Tea Garden facts for kids
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| Type: | Temi Tea Sikkim Soja Sikkim Kanchendzonga Tea Mystique |
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| Other names: | |
| Origin: | South Sikkim, India |
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| Quick description: | Rich aroma and taste |
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The Temi Tea Garden (27°14′12″N 88°25′20″E / 27.2367°N 88.4222°E) is a special place in Temi, South Sikkim, India. It was started in 1969 by the Government of Sikkim. This garden is the only one of its kind in Sikkim. Many people think it's one of the best tea gardens in India and even the world!
The tea grown here is super high quality. It's so good that people all over the world want to buy it. The garden is built on a gentle slope of a hill. Some of the tea from this garden is sold under the name "Temi Tea."
The Temi Tea Garden also follows special rules to grow organic tea. These rules come from a group in Switzerland called the Institute of Marketology (IMO). They started growing organic tea in 2005. Growing organic tea means they don't use harmful chemicals. This also helps keep costs down. Many countries like those in Europe and Japan prefer organic tea.
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About the Temi Tea Garden Estate
The Temi Tea estate began in 1969. It covers a large area of about 177 hectares (440 acres). The land slopes gently down from the Tendong hill range. The soil here is a type called loamy soil, which is good for growing plants. The ground has a slope of 30–50% and has some stones.
The garden has 406 workers who help grow and pick the tea. There are also 43 staff members who manage everything. Each year, the garden produces about 100 tonnes of tea. A special Tea Board set up by the Government of Sikkim runs the estate. They also helped create a group called the ‘Sang-Martam Tea Growers' Cooperative Society’. This group helps local farmers grow different kinds of quality tea.
Before it became a tea estate, this land was a Sherpa Village. There were also plant nurseries for the Forest Department. During the time of British rule, this spot was known for Scottish missionary buildings in the early 1900s. The Government of Sikkim bought these buildings in 1954.
Plants and Trees at the Tea Garden
The tea estate has many different kinds of plants and trees. You can find broad-leaf trees like Alnus nepalensis (called utis), Castanopsis (kattus), and Macaranga (malata). Other trees include Engelhardia spicata (mahua), Magnolia champaca, Toona ciliata (tooni), Machilus (kawla), Symplocos (kharane), and Cinnamomum (sinkoli).
To make the area even more beautiful, they planted japanese cedar (dhupi) and cherry trees along the roads.
You might also see some common plants that grow wild, like Eupatorium and Artemisia. There are also large cardamom plants growing in nearby forest areas. You can also find patches of a Japanese tree called Cryptomeria japonica.
Animals and Wildlife
The Temi Tea Garden is home to various animals. You might spot birds like the kalij and satyr tragopan. There are also different types of reptiles, including Japalura lizards, cobras, kraits, and Himalayan pit vipers. You might also see Asian bullfrogs.
If you visit, keep an eye out for colorful butterflies. But also be careful, as leeches can be found in the area too!
Temi Tea Products
The tea made at the Temi Tea estate is sold in 0.250 kilograms (0.55 lb) packages. It has several brand names. The best quality tea is called "Temi Tea." It's a pure tea known as "golden flowery orange pekoe #1 (TGOFP1)."
Other popular brands include 'Sikkim Solja,' 'Mystique,' and 'Kanchanjunga Tea.' They also sell 'Orthodox dust tea.' The Tea Garden Employees Consumers' Co-operative Society Ltd. sells these teas at a small shop near the Temi Tea factory.
Most of the tea (about 75%) is sold at an auction in Kolkata. The rest (25%) is sold as packaged tea in India.
Organic Tea Production
The Temi Tea estate has changed how it grows tea. They now use an 'Organic Method' instead of old ways. This follows rules from the Institute of Marketecology (IMO) in Switzerland. This change started in 2005 and is now finished.
To grow organic tea, they use natural fertilisers. These include cattle manure, neem cakes, and vermi-compost. They no longer use chemical fertilisers. A team from IMO in Bangalore checks the tea every year and gives them an IMO certificate.
The manager of the Temi Tea estate hopes that once they are fully certified as an "organic garden," their tea will sell for higher prices. He believes that Temi tea, which comes in four different grades, will be very popular in European countries and Japan. The Tea Board has already started selling small amounts (100 kilograms (220 lb)) of bulk tea to Canada and Japan at good prices.
High Demand for Temi Tea
The tea from this estate is sold at the Kolkata Tea Auction Centre. It often gets some of the highest prices there! More and more countries want to buy Temi tea. The Tea Board is working hard to sell directly to international markets.
To help grow more tea in Sikkim, the Industry Department of Sikkim has invited people to start new tea gardens. The state government also sees tea as a very important product for Sikkim's industrial growth.
Awards and Recognition
The Tea Board of India recognized the Temi Tea Garden for its excellent quality. They gave the garden the ‘All India Quality Award’ for two years in a row, in 1994 and 1995.
Future Goals for Temi Tea
Temi Tea, with its organic growing methods, is very popular in Europe, especially in Germany. The estate has applied for a special certification called GI certification. This certification helps protect the quality and origin of products, just like "Choice Organic Darjeeling Tea" has one.
This GI certification would help make sure that Temi Tea's quality product is protected. The EXIM Bank is also thinking about helping organic tea gardens by offering money to support them.
Images for kids
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Temi Tea Garden panoramic view
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Cherry Resort inside Temi Tea Garden, Namchi, Sikkim
[[Category:All About the temi tea]]
