The demand for the tea produced in Arunachal Pradesh continues to rise in the international market, says Tea Board official.
Tea Board India, which has set up a Regional Office in Arunachal Pradesh, is making all-out efforts to increase tea production in the Himalayan state.
Tea Board assistant director of Itanagar, Arupjyoti Das, said tea cultivation is making rapid strides in Arunachal Pradesh covering high altitude areas including Papumpare district.
Tea cultivation covers hill slopes of Siang basin and plain lands along the Assam-Arunachal boundary, he said.
“Arunachal Pradesh has been giving an output of an average 11 to 12 million kg tea in a year, while the demand of the tea produced in the hilly state continues to rise in the international market.
“The Golden Needle Tea produced by the Donyi Polo tea factory of Arunachal has been sold at Rs 75,000 in the auction market, while its price has reached Rs 1 lakh per kg in the private market,” Das said.
Tea estates run under Siang Tea Industries Ltd in Siang basin produce various specialty tea in the name of White tea, Green tea, Purple tea, Yellow tea Uloong tea and orthodox tea, which have attained good demand in the global market.
Das attended a workshop on ‘organic tea cultivation’ at Donyi-Polo Tea Estate (Oyan) in Arunachal’s East Siang district on Friday, wherein he suggested small tea growers to maintain a ‘team spirit’ to boost production and work to develop the area as ‘tea zone’.
Informing that TBI is taking up schemes to help small tea growers to boost cultivation skill set up mini-factories, the TBI official urged the growers to adopt tea cultivation as ‘way of living hood’ as it is an international business.