Agri varsity plants tea in non-traditional areas

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, October 14

Climate changes in the hill state have forced CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University to extend tea cultivation, research and tea development activities to non-traditional areas of the state where tea was not grown earlier.

For the first time, fresh tea plantations have been done at the research stations and Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the university at Malan, Kangra, Bara, Berthin, Sundernagar, Bajaura and Dhaulakuan, which are in different districts of the state, with the objective of creating live windows and demonstration-cum-exhibition plots. This initiative of CSK HP Agriculture University will create awareness and interest for tea cultivation among farmers.

Talking to The Tribune here this afternoon, Vice-Chancellor Dr HK Chaudhry expressed hope that the new initiative would spread information about the impact of climate change on tea cultivation vis-à-vis the scope of extension of tea cultivation in other non-traditional parts of the state in Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Mandi, Kullu and Sirmaur districts. In the first leg, 800 new tea plants have been planted.

“It is a follow-up of the meeting of the Vice-Chancellor with officers of Tea Board-India, state tea wing and university scientists for general awareness on the heritage Kangra tea, an identified produce under the export policy. Earlier the tea cultivation was restricted to Kangra and some parts of Mandi district only,” he added.

The Vice-Chancellor said that the university was also exploring the possibility of orchard integration of tea for doubling farmers’ income and offsetting area loss. This campaign has been launched by the Department of Tea Husbandry.

The tea has been cultivated and manufactured in the Kangra valley since the middle of the last century. It was first introduced between 1830 and 1840, by the European Tea Planters, known as Nissan Tea Company. The valley grows the hybrid China tea, known to be rich in flavour and compares favorably with the tea grown in other parts of the world.

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Caption:- The tea plantation at the farm of CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

2. New plantations of tea at the university’s research stations.