Hazaribagh: In India, people often start their day with a sip of tea. Tea is not just a beverage but has become an important part of the Indian lifestyle. India is also the second largest tea producing country in the world and till now states like West Bengal and Assam are recognizing it. But now Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand has also started emerging on the map of tea production and is showing new possibilities especially in the field of green tea.
Tea is being cultivated on a large scale in the Agro Tourism Center located at Demotand, about 11 kilometers away from Hazaribagh. Tea has been cultivated here on about 20 acres of land. The climate, pH level of soil and natural slopes here are considered very favorable for tea plants. Due to the sloping land, there is no water logging in the fields, which is an ideal condition for tea cultivation. Due to this suitability, tea is being cultivated here due to which green tea is also being manufactured.
Tea cultivation in 20 acres of land
Rajesh Kumar, working at the Agro Tourism Centre, says that at present tea is being cultivated in about 20 acres of land, from which green tea is being manufactured. About 2 lakh tea plants of TV-25 and TV-26 varieties have been planted here, which were brought from famous tea producing areas like Darjeeling, Batasi, Siliguri and Nagara. This entire scheme was started as a pilot project.
He told that initially green tea was cultivated on only 2 acres of land for training purposes. After its positive results emerged, the area of cultivation was gradually increased and now it has been expanded to about 20 acres. This project was started in the year 2002, about 5000 saplings were planted in only 19 decimal land. After continuous successful experiments, today this center has become an example in the direction of tea production.
Green tea prepared from tea leaves
Green tea is prepared at the center itself from the tea leaves grown here and is made available to the people visiting the tourist center. Any tourist can come here and buy green tea. Along with green tea, normal tea leaves are being prepared. Whose taste is similar to the tea leaves of big companies?
Pankaj Kumar Sinha, senior agricultural scientist of the Indian Agricultural Research Center Goriyakarma, said that the possibility of tea cultivation in Hazaribagh is not a new thing. There is evidence of successful tea cultivation in this area even during the British rule. Today, the cultivation of tea on such a large scale in the district is a direct proof that the climate and soil here is completely suitable for tea.
The agricultural scientist further said that if other farmers of the district also cultivate tea, especially green tea, in a scientific manner, then they can earn good profits from it. However, training is very important for this. Training is necessary at every level, from correct selection of the field to plantation, pruning, leaf plucking and processing. If the government provides technical support and financial incentives, then Hazaribagh can become a major tea producing area of Jharkhand in the coming time and along with the income of the farmers, new employment opportunities will also be created.
