Botanical Description and Cultivation

Botanical Description and Cultivation

Camellia sinensis. The Tea plant. Properly speaking, tea is the beverage brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Camellia sinensis is an evergreen tropical plant which can grow upto 10 meters in height in the wild. An average estate in India may have up to 56 million plants.

The Tea plants may be grown from seeds, which are usually hybrid seeds and also by means of vegetative propagation. Seed varieties are more robust, but may vary in uniformity of yield quality and behavior from plant to plant. Plants grown from vegetative propagation are more uniform and inherit all the characters of the mother plant. An average estate in India may have a nursery with 2-4 lac plants.

Tea prefers an acidic soil, with the soil ph in the range of 4.5 to 5.5. The soil must be well drained up to a depth of 1 meter. Some shade is useful to keep the leaf temperature low in very hot climate. The shades grown are evenly spaced and are of the leguminous variety, which help replenish nitrogen in the soil from atmosphere. Drains are laid and cut on contours after surveys to prevent soil erosion.

The tea plant is trained from the time of its planting to form into a dense shrub with a flat or slightly curved top surface which is also known as the harvestable surface. Up to 16000 plants can be planted in a hectare of land with a spacing of 100 cm X 60 cm X 60 cm. This population is denser than the vegetation of even the densest forests in the world. Ideally the foliage of plants intermingle in such a manner that it gives an impression of a thick green carpet like surface, through which direct sunlight cannot penetrate to the ground below. This prevents growth of weeds that may compete for nutrients with the Tea Plants. Until 3 years of age, the plants are categorized as Young Tea.

Harvesting of the leaves may be done with huge mechanical harvesters (Japan), by using shears or traditionally by hand. Hand plucked leaves are the best for making premium quality Tea, but shortage of and increase in cost of labor necessitates mechanical harvesting. Harvesting of leaves can be done at intervals of 7 days to 14 days. Proper control of harvesting rounds is essential to achieve a good quality harvest. Shorter rounds give lesser crop, better quality and lesser leaf per plucker. Pluckers are paid incentive on quantity of leaf plucked. This arrangement goes against the goal of harvesting a good quality crop.

Maintenance of the vast fields is an arduous task. Economical harvest can be obtained even from a 100 year old plantation if it has been properly maintained. Maintenance of a Tea Plantation requires an integrated pest management system, adequate drainage, scientific manuring, irrigation, Pruning, De-snagging, Hoeing, Forking, Shade maintenance and a highly trained and committed workforce to carry out these activities scientifically. A lot of physical labor is required to do these jobs. Physical fitness is of prime importance but malnutrition, alcohol and illiteracy are a hindrance

Vintage Letter

Dear friends,
I was reading a very old book, "Manual of Tea Producing Companies", by de Zoete & Bevan, 25 Finsbury Circus, London Stock Exchange, London, EC2M 7EE. Hereunder I would like to share this here with you.

I have always maintained, no tea is bad. It's just that some teas are better, and that's the reason this industry functions the way it does. Similarly, here too I implore upon you not to find good or bad, or feel offended by some of the text of the letter, or to construe any meaning at all. Just sip it like a vintage cup of tea.
Tea Cheers!
Jayesh S Pandya

Tea for Two
(An unexpurgated application for tea garden vacancy in Ceylon)

Most honoured and respectable Sir,
Having come to understand that you require the services of a trustwothy and sober Tea-maker clerck, I humbly beg to apply for the vacancy in fervent hopes that your honour will favourably consider same and bestow upon me this blessing for my ability and every prayer.

I am unmarried Hambantonian aged 36 years of respectable parents(now deceases R.I.P) of same province. Now I am poor orphan with no any support and imancipated condition, tossed hither and tither llike compost upon the billows of high seas in monsoon time, daily with empty stomach, but under the wing of your honours care and in the security of your honours family bosom, I am having full hopes like bride on night of honeymoon, to throw away poverty out of the window and bring prosperity through the door.

I have received a good education at Ananda Suriyadala College in Hambantota, and passed Matric with full honours by the fertile brain and can give all information by dilligent study of the encyclopedia when required, owing to untimely surmise of my deceased father and no money I was unable to take up my B.A degree which I pass simply. When I dismiss the college I learn Tea-making under my paternal uncle at Galle, by latest methods in reversible wither and mist chambers according to T.R.I. I also come to know in that time some secret tricks to extract that subtle flavours from tea leaves lurking in the bowels of the rollers like honey in the honey comb, and can take liquors with 20 good colour and sparkle like diamond in Queen's tarart when Colombo brokers see that they will elevate the prices to height in Pedro; sometimes on bombastic competition on meserable fellow suprintendents like Boot on Adders head in the Garden of Allah.

In machineries and oil engines I have some knowledge which I experienced in Cocoanut Mill. Also in electricity I know to take the current in night times from phiphony of commutator by means of H.T wire. Factory I will keep so clean like dining-rooms in Queens' Hotel and your honour can come and see day and night with eyes closed.

Field works I know top to bottom, and can milk the rubber trees in many ways to show profit on care and maintenance. I learn all about compost from venerable Mr. M.F. the Holy Father of Compost. I can take full work from the Tamils (high and low caste) and crafty Sinhalese at reduced cost. They does not know to humbug me my milk in mouth and venom in belly like honourable state Councillors playing Harry and Dick with Taxpayers money.

For clerical work I am expert. Estate accounts can be my double and single and cover up mistakes so that even no greedy eye of Colombo Agents can find out and make trouble.
If your honour will give charge of rice store in this business, i also know some tricks which i learn from my late cousin in Govt. Service (P.W.D) who retired on completion of duties with good circumstances and also pension. By some methods Ican supply your honour and family with requirements and cover up. For this I do not require any salary and can manage somehow by hook and crook.

When your honour go to access the Estate I like to come also and get some presents here and there for your honour's early retirement in Mother Country.

Like humble flea on belly of Noble visiting Agent I hope to receive your honour's favourable reply and oblige.

In duty bound I will ever pray in loud voice night and day on my family's bended knees and prostituting myself at your honour's great feet.

I beg to remain,
your obedient servant,
Sd/-
P.S. If you wish I can come suddenly.

Exploitation of Tea Plantations

My dear friends who show concern for Tea!
I have spent 40 years of my life as a child, adolescent and then working in Managerial capacities on the Tea Plantations. Tea is not just a beverage. it is a way of life.
Many Garden Owners have indeed used the estates as milking cows, have not Re-invested sufficiently to keep the plantations and its workers in good health and except for some genuine Planters / companies, most have literally raped the properties. Please excuse my language.
There are also estates with 10 different Labor unions. Estates where there is one Worker in a family living in a Company provided accommodation and having 10 Non Working "dependants" .The worker is usually a woman, and the rest simply eat up into the fragile infrastructure of the estates like parasites. Can you imagine 10 persons using a toilet which has been designed for a family of four? When the septic tank overflows, the Manager is supposed to get it cleaned, and if he delays, he may be hacked to death.
Same goes for stopping the stealing electricity - you stop them and you may be burnt to death. This has happened in Sapoi Tea Estate of Assam where two planters were burnt alive and reduced to footballs.
Then there are Managers who get Rehabilitation Grass cut for their cows by the estate workers and sell the milk for personal gain, and at the same time impound workers' cows if they graze in the plantation. The workers and nearby villagers then take onto grazing their cattle in hundreds in the middle of the night.
Cattle trespass leads to infestation of Red Spider and other mites which leads to the use of expensive Acaricides to be sprayed, making the harvest toxic and further taxing the meager resources.
Traders are no less .. Spurious items of food, clothing and other necessities are sold to the poor workers at exorbitant prices.
Friends, ask a true planter ... he would say chasing cows is his main job. And yes, you will always find at least one Laborer, One Planter, One Trader .... One Tea-Man once in a while, and thank God for them that the Industry still LIVES! I say my hats off to this rare class of people who continue to perform their duties in spite of so many hurdles. It is only due to them that the industry still lives on.Tea Cheers!

Organic Tea

ORGANIC TEA
Historically, Tea is known to have grown in the most inaccessible places, in its Natural pattern, and hence was first discovered as “The Elixir of Life” by the Buddhist Monks in China.
Tea was supposed to be of so Divine a nature, that the Monks did not even think of its cultivation at that time, but instead deployed Monkeys to pluck and bring Tea Leaves from such Inaccessible places for which they would be given Opium!

“This was Natural Tea”
Its usage was restricted to the Spiritual Few

Then came the Aristocracy of China, and the King was the only one who could drink or offer Tea.

Tea became reserved for the Monks and Kings.

With the spread of the Dutch and British Empire, who saw enormous profits in this “Miraculous” herb of the “East”, which gave “Good Health and Long Life” to its drinkers, were the first to introduce the Beverage commercially to Europe.

Tea became a vastly traded item. Finally the “Elixir of Life” was available to all of Mankind, and became the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Its many medicinal values are universally accepted and established.

Journey to the Past
Some estates in the recent times began to experiment by shunning the use of all Chemical Fertilizers and Chemicals on their Tea Plants. They began to provide Forest Covers and Grass Tracts between Sections of Tea.

These estates lost tremendous amount of Money by way of Reduced Yields due to Withdrawal of Fertilizers and Increased occurrence of Pests and Blights.
The Planters Persisted in their quest of achieving what was now appearing as a streak of light at the end of the tunnel.

And the end result is the Spectacular “Organic Tea”, with its outstanding Taste, Briskness and close affinity to an overall characteristic, not unduly aided by human interference.

And this status is conferred after suffering the rigorous abstention from anything In-Organic for three excruciating long years.

Rejuvenation of 80 years old Tea

The pictures are of an eighty years old section of tea in the Upper Assam area, which was "Medium Pruned" and "Inter Planted", followed with an year of "Unprune" and then "Deep Skiffed" and "Desnagged" in the third year. Today, this section of Tea is today one of the highest yielder of the estate. The "Desnagging" operation was carried out very meticulously and thoroughly by extremely skilled workers.

ORGANIC TEA : THE INDIAN SCENARIO

The interest in Organic products in general and Organic Tea in particular is increasing day by day.
Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness about the Organic drive in India.
Planters wish to convert, but not all have access to information on how to. Consumers are confused : they do not know what is organic, and where to get the same. The traders similarly appear to be in awe of undergoing formalities of registration and audits.

I wish to provide an overview of Organic Tea in this post, in simple words.

STATISTICS
Figures as per year 2006-2007 records are as follows:-
Registered Organic farmers in India : 141904
Land under Organic Cultivation : 339113 Ha.
Organic Production : 585970 MT.
Organic Exports from India : 19456 MT
Value of total exports from India : Rs. 30124 Lacs. http://www.apeda.com/organic/PresentStatus.htm

CONTROL AND REGULATION
The production and trade of Organic Agricultural produce in India is controlled by "APEDA", which stands for : Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development Authority.
http://www.apeda.com/apedawebsite/index.asp
The specific program of APEDA which oversees the Organic operation is the "NPOP" which stands for : National Program for Organic Production. http://www.apeda.com/organic/

ACCREDITIONS PRESENTLY IN VOGUE

1. National Program for Organic Production (NPOP) - India. : This certification is recognised by the European Union, and hence equivalent to EEC Certification. The certificate, however is not valid for exports to the USA, even though the USDA has formally acknowledged APEDA's Conformity Assessment System & methods as
   acceptable. http://www.apeda.com/organic/India_Recognition_Letter_Day_FINAL_02_16_06.pdf
2. USDA National Organic Program (NOP)
3. European Organic Regulations (EU 2092/91)
4. Japan Agricultural Standards (JAS)
5. Quebec Organic Reference Standard (CAAQ)
6. Bio Suisse Standards IFOAM Basic Standards
   

CURRENT FLAVOURS IN INDIA
Presently NPOP and NOP standards are the most sought after. NPOP standard in any case is the first and primary or default requirement for an Organic operator in India.

TYPES OF DECLARATION
These are country / market / scope specific. Please check validity of terms in the particular country of interest, and use only the applicable terms in print matter to get full advantage.
A Plantation / Farm may be certified as 100 % Organic; Organic; OR Organic under conversion.
A Product may be certified as 100 % Organic; Organic; Made with Organic etc.

INITIATION AND CERTIFICATION BODIES
A plantation or trade wishing to start Organic Operations should give information to and
initiate registration procedure with the APEDA. This is done through an Accredited inspection and certification agency, a list of which is available at http://www.apeda.com/organic/NPOP_certification_bodies.doc
For ease of reference, the list is given hereunder, but I urge you to check accreditation status from APEDA before hiring one.

1. Bureau Veritas Certification India Pvt. Ltd., (Formerly known as BVQI (India) Pvt.
   Ltd.) scsinfo@in.bureauveritas.com
2. ECOCERT India Pvt. Ltd ecocert@sancharnet.in
3. IMO Control Pvt. Ltd imoind@vsnl.com, http://www.imo.ch/
4. Indian Organic Certification Agency (INDOCERT) Sebastian@indocert.org
5. Lacon Quality Certification Pvt. Ltd. laconindia@sancharnet.in
6. Natural Organic Certification Agency (NOCA) nocaindia29@rediffmail.com, nocaindia@gmail.com
7. OneCert Asia Agri Certification Pvt. Ltd. info@onecertasia.in
8. SGS India Pvt. Ltd. manish.pande@sgs.com
9. Control Union Certifications (Formerly known as Skal International (India))
   cuc@controlunion.in, cucindia@controlunion.com, controlunion@vsnl.com
10. Uttarakhand State Organic Certification Agency (USOCA) uss_opca@rediffmail.com
11. APOF Organic Certification Agency (AOCA) aocabangalore@yahoo.co.in
12. Rajasthan Organic Certification Agency (ROCA) dir_rssopca@rediffmail.com
    Note:- At the time of posting this article, Nos. 11 and 12 above are not competent to
    issue NOP certificates.

PLANTATION / FARM OPERATOR SCENARIO

Conversion / Certification of a farm into Organic is the most painstaking part of the Organic Program. It is the farm which has to endure the most. From the time a farm is registered with the APEDA for NPOP for certification, it is known as "Organic under Conversion". From this time on, the farm can use only approved inputs for the maintenance, protection and sustenance of their crop.

Useful information on permissible inputs can be found at http://www.organicinputs.org/, http://www.acornorganic.org/acorn/

The list of inputs keep on changing, and one must keep abreast of the latest list at all times. Various other checks and constraints are placed to ensure complete detoxification of the produce. This is the period of conversion which lasts from 2 to 3 years as per different standards. This is the period during which one may suffer from maximum yield loss without getting any price premium of Organic, as it is yet to be certified.

TRADER / EXPORTER / OPERATOR SCENARIO

The Trader needs to follow strict norms for handling Organic Products, but the operations here are much less complex.

FLOW OF QUANTIS

Every Operator needs to maintain a Flow of Quantis, which must record each receipt, movement, transformation, dispatch, destruction or any other form of disposition in a satisfactory manner and is subject to audits. Any gain of quantity here needs explanation.

TRANSACTION CERTIFICATE

It is the duty of the Seller of Organic produce to provide the buyer with a Transaction certificate for each transaction or sale. These certificates must be traceable and unique and are issued by the respective certification agency on payment of fee.

MOTIVATION

Achievement of Organic standards is no small deed. It is a matter of pride for any organisation, as it is indicative not only of the high standards of operation with in the organisation, but also indicative of its direct, or indirect contribution towards the conservation of nature.

High level of management motivation, innovation at all levels, cutting of waste and cost at all levels, worker & management coordination, training, dedication and overall transparency is
required to last out the conversion phase and achieve the target of Organic certification. Pursuance of ISO-9001, ISO-22000, HACCP, JAS etc. simultaneously can indeed be complimentary.

INFORMATIVE LINKS AND ARTICLES

1. Canadian Organic Growers http://www.cog.ca/
2. Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance http://www.nodpa.com/
3. Organic Info Hotline http://www.mosesorganic.org/helpwanted/farmerhotline.html
4. Organic Farming - NDSU Extension Service http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/organic/
5. Organic Farming Research Foundation http://www.ofrf.org/
6. The NEW FARM http://www.newfarm.org/
7. Some very useful and Organic Tea Specific information can be found at http://www.dtrdc.org/organic.htm

An Extra Bag

The following is entirely written by Roochy - a perfect Tea Garden Memsahib, as she packs her bags to leave the Tea Gardens for ever.

As I pack my bags to leave,for a longish period,in pursuit of goals which I had left behind me nearly a decade ago and head to the throbbing heart of a metro I once called home,I realize I'll have to carry an extra bag.

Let me see,what shall pack in it?The sights, sounds and smells-the very essence of this life that I have come to know and ever so unknowingly come to love.Amidst the cocaphony of my new life this bag is going to come very handy.

Where do I start?
The buzz of a thousand bees in the litchi tree that has burst into bloom must go in.It has always been synonymous for me with the promise of the fruition of a hope.The sight of the north westers rolling in at the end of a blistering hot day,first blocking out the hills then gathering overhead to provide a stunning backdrop to the spring foliage on tall shade trees,then a clap of thunder here and a flash of lightning there- nature's orchestra adjusting it's tuning before the show finally begins.Oh yes! the first notes that emerge
from the first drops falling on the gravel at my feet all go in too.

So do the flashes of the firefly chowkidars guarding I know not what as the bustle about on duty on rainy nights.The sound of crystal tinkling indoors while elephants trumpet outdoors.Wonder if these sounds could coexist so harmoniously anywhere else.And winter mornings-I can't leave those behind either,in goes the first coherent picture my son made on the thickly fogged windscreen of the car as I drove him to school one freezing dawn-a cat with no ears and a tail half a mile long.The smell of the lawn mowed is another must,I'll wrap it in the accompanying racket of the vintage lawn mower.

The gate clanging,carpets being beaten,a bamboo broom at work on crisp dry winter leaves,the flappng of washing being hung out to dry on the line,the unmistakable smell of wood polish all symbolizing a day in my life for all these years,so intrinsically woven are they with me now that I won't have to carry them,they'll just come right along,one after another,filling in my extra bag.

And then right on top carefully ,very carefully because I'm not sure if it's gossamer fragility will ever let it survive in a new pulsating environment,I'm putting in-----the sound of silence,sheer and absolute in the stillness of a dark night.