The Temi Tea Garden in Sikkim, India is the only tea garden in the state. It was established in 1969 and produces high quality tea, some of which is marketed under the name "Temi Tea." The garden uses organic farming methods according to Swiss standards and expects its tea to fetch higher prices once certified organic. It employs 406 workers and produces around 100 tons of tea annually, 75% of which is auctioned in Kolkata. The garden aims to obtain a GI certification for its organic Temi Tea to help market the product internationally.

1. Temi Tea Garden

2. Introduction
• The Temi Tea Garden (27.2367°N-88.4222°E)
near Ravangla,
• Established in 1969 by the Government of Sikkim,
is located in South Sikkim in the north-
eastern Indian state of Sikkim.
• It is the only tea garden in Sikkim and considered
one of the best in India and in the world.
• Top quality tea is produced, which is in demand in
the international market. The garden is laid over a
gradually sloping hill.
• The tea produced in this garden is also partly
marketed under the trade name “Temi Tea’’.

3. • The guidelines issued by the Institute of
Marketology (IMO) of Switzerland to produce
organic tea have been adopted in the Temi Tea
Garden; a project initiated in April 2005 and
nearing completion.
• In growing organic tea, agro-chemicals are
avoided by the tea estates that results in low
production costs.
• Many European countries and Japan have shown
preference for tea produced by adopting organic
manuring method.

5. • The Temi Tea estate was established in 1969 covering an
area of 177 hectares (440 acres).
• The lie of the land shows gentle slopes that originate
from the Tendong hill range.
• The ground conditions indicate loamy soils with slope of
30–50%.
• The ground surface is subject to moderate erosion and is
spread with reasonable degree of stones.
• The garden has 406 workers supported by a staff of
43.
• Its annual tea production is on an average about 100
tonnes.
• The estate functions under a Tea Board set up by the
Government of Sikkim.

6. • Before the estate was created, the land was a
Sherpa Village with around 10 acres of
nurseries of the Forest Department around the
Missionary Building which became the office
cum residence of Divisional Forest Officer
(South & West Division).
• During the British rule this site was a landmark
for Scottish missionary buildings in the early
1900s, the buildings were acquired by the
Government of Sikkim in 1954.

7. Products
• The tea produced by the Temi Tea estate are packaged
(0.250 kilograms (0.55 lb) packages) under many brand
names; the brand name "Temi Tea" is of the best quality
consisting of pure tea "golden flowery orange pekoe #1
(TGOFP1)".
• The next in quality is the popular brand of 'Sikkim Solja'
followed by 'Mystique' and 'Kanchanjunga Tea'.
• It is also sold in the form of 'Orthodox dust tea'.
• The Tea Garden Employees Consumers' Co-operative
Society Ltd. markets these products at a kiosk in the
vicinity of the Temi Tea factory. About 75% of the tea
produced in this estate is auctioned in Kolkata and the
balance 25% is marketed as packaged tea in the domestic
market

10. Organic tea
• Tea production in this estate has been switched over from
conventional method to 'Organic Method' according to the
guidelines of the Institute of Marketology (IMO) of
Switzerland.
• This use of organic bio-fertilisers such
as cattle manure, neem cakes and vermi-composte manure
replacing the chemical fertilisers used in the past.
• The Bangalore unit of IMO inspects the product every year
and issues IMO certificate.
• The Manager of the Temi Tea estate expects that as soon as
the IMO declares the estate as an "organic garden", the
"products will fetch higher prices in the market" and that
"Temi tea, produced in four grades, would find ready markets
in European markets and Japan".
• The Tea Board has already started exporting to Canada and
Japan in small quantities (100 kilograms (220 lb) of bulk tea at
Rs 2500 per kg) at attractive prices.

11. Meet the first woman Tea Taster of
Sikkim
Shanti Rai of Temi Tea Estate

12. Awards
• The Tea Board of India awarded the ‘All India
Quality Award’ to the Temi Tea Garden for
two consecutive years of 1994 and 1995

13. Future goals
• According to the Chairman, EXIM Bank, Temi Tea, which is
following the organic growing practice is in popular
demand in Europe, particularly in Germany.
• In line with the GI certification obtained for the "Choice
Organic Darjeeling Tea", Temi Tea Estate has also applied
for GI certification for its organic Temi Tea.
• According to the EXIM Bank source it is known that the
Temi Tea is sold in the international market at Rs 2500 per
kg (US$ 50/kg).
• EXIM Bank is also proposing to finance popularisation of
organic tea by offering grant funds up to 50% to the tea
estates, and in this context the GI certification would also
help to protect the quality product of the estate

14. Problems
• Decline in tea price
• Less production of tea
• Labour demand
• No proper storage
• Climatic factors
• Pest problem
• Low wages
• Health problems
• No health benefits

15. THANK YOU

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