Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

17-December-2012 16:36 IST

There are three tea research institutes exclusively dedicated to scientific research and extension for improvement in productivity and quality of tea in the country.  These are

(1) Tocklai Experimental Station, Jorhat, Assam

(2) United Planters’ Association of South India – Tea Research Foundation, Valparai, Tamil Nadu and

(3) Darjeeling Tea Research and Development Centre, Kurseong, Darjeeling, West Bengal.

The details of total funds allocated to the Tocklai Experimental Station during the last three years and current year (up to November, 2012) and the expenditure incurred are as under:- 

*Up to November’12

** Rs.20 cr. was allocated as special Centenary Celebration grant

The salient achievements made are as under:

• Stress tolerant (water logging) cultivars for commercial exploration have been identified and are being tested commercially.
• · Chemical finger printing of Darjeeling tea has been completed.
• Chemical quality parameters of Assam tea having different geographical origin have been developed particularly for Brahmaputra and Barak Valley of Assam.
• · An effective integrated nutrient management (INM) package with inclusion of bio-fertilizers has been developed and is being tested in commercial Tea Estates in Assam.
• Enriched, eco-friendly and high value organic manure (vermicompost) for use in tea gardens has been developed and released to commercial Tea Estates.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Commerce & Industry Dr. D. Purandeswari in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

******

DS/RK

Research funding for tea institutes supports scientific improvement in productivity and quality through targeted grants and programmatic achievements. Central government support for tea research is delivered through three designated research institutes. Funding allocations and expenditures for Tocklai Experimental Station are disclosed, including a special centenary grant and current year allocations up to November. Operational outputs include identification and commercial testing of stress tolerant cultivars, chemical fingerprinting of Darjeeling tea, development of geographical chemical quality parameters for Assam teas, an integrated nutrient management package with bio fertilizers under trial, and release of enriched organic manure (vermicompost) for tea gardens.