Arya Tea Estate

Arya Tea Estate in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India is a manufacturer of specialty teas for international sale, as part of the Indian holding company Eurasia Group.^[1] The estate sits at an average altitude of 1500 meters and covers 125 hectares, with just over 300 acres (1.2 km²) under tea plantation.

Arya Tea Estate does business as Arya Tea Co. Ltd., Kolkata and its operations are certified USDA Organic by IMO Control.^[2] Additionally, Arya is a certified member of the Darjeeling Tea Association.^[3]

History

The Arya Tea Estate was established in 1885 and was originally known as ‘Sidrabong’. Legend tells that the garden was founded by Buddhist monks who developed and cultivated different varieties of Chinese seed. The house inhabited by the monks in the 19th century can still be found on the estate.^[4]

The original factory was destroyed by a fire in May 1999, leading to the construction of a new factory costing USD 350,000.^[5]

Overview

The plantation starts at an altitude of 1820 meters and spreads down to 900 meters, with an average elevation of about 1500 meters. It produces around 70 tons of tea annually, 30 tons less than before the estate became organic. Some of its most famous teas are its ‘Jewel’ range, including Ruby (Black Tea), Emerald (Green Tea), Pearl (White Tea), Diamond (Chunky Tips) and Topaz (Oolong).

The roads leading to the estate are extremely cumbersome, often with a gradient of up to 60 degrees, making it extremely difficult to drive vehicles there. During the winter months all estates in Darjeeling are quiet, until the harvests begin again in February.

References

1. ^ Eurasia Group. "Our Companies."
2. ^ Institute for Marketecology. IMO Certification
3. ^ http://www.darjeelingtea.com/images/DTA.MembersMay2007.pdf
4. ^ http://www.monkdarjeelingtea.in/index.htm
5. ^ http://www.balajiagro.com/estate.php?estateid=7