37 years of working with Tea Gardens in Assam had given me an insight into the usage of huge amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for cultivation.  Working in Tea Estates at Assam had given me the inspiration and the zeal to develop tea cultivation (Camellia Sinensis) the organic way with the small tea growers of Bengal. In any Hilly region where soil is totally fertile and people have no money for buy Chemical fertilizer and pesticides. I got the opportunity to turn my vision into reality when in the year 2015 at Gumbedhara near Lava, Kalimpong I was able to set up a small tea processing facility with the help of the locals. On 4^th May’2015 my journey started with 30 farmers. Every household had about 2 – 3 Himalayan cow and Goats for their day-to-day subsistence to sell milk and ghee and use the manure for fertilizer purpose. However, due to the lack of technical knowledge, they were not able to properly utilize the manure in the cultivation process and as a result the entire soil was full of termite and other pathogens which were coming through raw dung. Most of the early stage cash crops are damaged by the pathogens and termite. Since then, I was able to impart some of the basic knowledge about how to make Vermicompost, Vermi Wash from cow dung, cow urine and local herbs-based bio pesticides, bio fertilizers and how to properly utilize such techniques with minimal crop loss.

Along the way I have been able to associate with other small tea growers of Kurseong, Kalimpong & Mirik, Darjeeling where they are totally dependent on selling their Green leaves to the large estates and how they are dominated by the bigger players. In the year 2016, small tea growers of Mirik had come together to form a Small Tea Growers Welfare society with 60 farmers and built an one small  mini tea factory in the name of “Darjeeling Orthodox Small Tea Growers Welfare Society” at Bungkulung, Mirik  (Elevation at 1500m – 2,130 m) for processing their own leaves. The cultivation method is wholly natural and I was very fortunate to have been associated with them from beginning for marketing their produce and other area (how to sorting, packing systems, etc.)

The small growers follow the traditional farming practices of their area. Small farmers in the countryside almost always use natural methods for their Garden, as chemicals are very expensive. This is ideal, as natural farming preserves soil health and land resources. The growers encourage biodiverse, agriculture among themselves, and are against monoculture farming. Various shrubs, herbs, and fruits grow alongside the teas in fields.

Darjeeling is India’s most famous tea region. It teas are known as “ The Champagne of Teas” for their fragrant , fruity and slightly dry character. This is thanks to the high altitude of Darjeeling. As part of the Himalayas, many of the Tea gardens are perched 1,500m – 2,000m above sea level, but cool temperatures especially in the nighttime. Often the plants grow quite slowly, producing more tender leaves. Bushes are often Camellia Sinensis ( Small Leaf), but are sometimes “ Camellia Sinensi’s assamica ( broad leaf).

Small tea growers are making most Hand Rolling Specialty teas which is the best quality than any other Large estates. Some times our teas are fetching higher price than Large estates (factory), our growers are making different variety of teas i.e; BAI MU DAN (White Tea), SILVER NEEDLE, SENCHA, OOLONG, GREEN, GREEN PEARLS, BLACK TEA (WHOLE LEAF) , YELLOW TEA, ROASTED, CLONAL and RUBY Tea etc;. Our most of the 1^st flush teas are selling to Foreign Buyers ( Germany, France , UK and other countries also), Our  “ BAI MU DAN ( White Tea ) and RUBY teas have won the best category of 4^th Golden Nunshen prize from “ Teas of the World International Contest AVPA-PARIS  “   last 4 years. This is my small tea growers achievement.