A CKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to gratefully acknowledge the contribution of all the people who took active part

and provided valuable support to me during the course of this trip . To begin with, I would like to

offer my sincere thanks to the BIMTECH and Jay Shree Tea Ltd., for giving us the opportunity

for providing this Industrial trip and lot of exposure.

My heartfelt gratitude also goes to Prof. P S Nagpal and Prof. Manoj Kumar Pandey , for their

co-operation and willingness to answer all my queries, and provide valuable assistance.

Last, but not the lease, I would like to thank all who were associated with this memorable trip

some way or the other for sharing their experience and giving their valuable time to me during

the course of making this report.

Group Member

Prateek Pandey

Siddharth K.

Amit Yadav

DARJEELING TEA

Among the teas cultivated in India, the most celebrated one comes from Darjeeling Himalaya.

The best of India's prize Darjeeling Tea is considered the world's finest tea. The region has been

cultivating, growing and producing tea for the last 150 years. The complex and unique

combination of geo-environmental and agro-climatic conditions characterizing the region lends

to the tea grown in the area a distinct quality and flavour that has won the patronage and

recognition all over the world for the last 1.5 century. The tea produced in the region and having

special characteristics has for long been known across the globe as ‘Darjeeling Tea’.It is

Golden or amber in colour and has delicate flavour of muscatel grapes.

ORIGIN OF DARJEELING TEA

Dr. Campbell and Major Crommelin had first introduced tea in Darjeeling Himalaya during the

period of 1840-50 on experimental basis out of the seeds imported from China. According to the

available records, the first commercial tea gardens were planted in 1852 which is now Puttbong

tea estate. Darjeeling was then a very sparsely populated region and was only used as a hill

resort. Tea being a labour intensive industry needed sufficient number of workers to plant, tend,

pluck and finally manufacture the produce. Hence, people from the neighbouring regions, mainly

Nepal, were encouraged to immigrate and engage as labourers in the tea gardens. Today there are

87 registered gardens sprawled across the geographical area of 20,200 hectares.

Fig 1. Golden colour of Darjeeling Tea

PUTTABONG TEA ESTATE

This tea estate is falls under the District of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. Puttabong (Tukvar)

Tea estate is located in 9 Kms to the North East of Darjeeling town. This tea garden is acquired

by Birla Group in 1967. This is the first Tea estate in the history of Darjeeling Tea Plantations

which was planted in 1852. The tea estate stretches from an altitude of 1,500 ft to 6,500 ft above

sea level. The garden covers over 22 Kms ending at the little Rungeet river. Puttabong is planted

with Darjeeling Clonal, Chinery bushes and Clonal tea stock especially developed to meet the

agro climatic conditions of the area. The total area under tea in this garden is 436.72 hectare. It

has Contribution around 3% of the national tea output. According to the supervisor this garden

has yield of 600 to 650 kg/hectare. The garden employs 1,476 workers who are provided with all

the amenities such as healthcare, housing and also help in their social upliftment.

When we reach to this garden, we first met with Mr. G. C. Somani who is superintendent of the

factory he has introduced us briefly about the milestones and achievements of that tea estate

plant. This tea estate is also known for its Best Quality Tea Leaf. This garden Tukvar

(Puttabong) garden was the first to fetch a record price of Rs.10,000/- per kg way back in

1992 because of its very good quality of tea leaf. This tea estate and plant is famous for its

high quality Organic Tea.

Fig 2. Guiness record of puttabong tea estate mentioned at entry point

The garden produces Orthodox black, green and specially Darjeeling Tea. The garden has been

very particular in ecological up gradation and maintaining bio diversity since many years. The

tea estate is currently managed by Mr. R. Pareek as Manager and  Mr. N. S. Baid  as a

Commercial Manager.

SPECIAL FEATURES:- 

First Commercial garden to raise Composite Plant Nursery and Plantation in North East

India.

First Garden to use Pruning Machine in Darjeeling . 

It has the best Garden Hospital in Darjeeling.

The mountain breeze touched by the great Kanchanjunga makes the teas produced by

this garden ‘unique’.

Their teas have good demand which is proved by our buyers list which includes the key

packeters of India and in abroad countries like Britain and Germany .

All the Darjeeling Tea Estates have Hazard and Critical Control Point (HACCP)

Certification.

Oldest Garden, Factory & Bungalow.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

JAY SHREE TEA & INDUSTRIES LTD.

Jay Shree Tea & Industries Ltd. is the third largest tea producer in the world. It has 22 Tea

Estates spread throughout India with total area of 9407 hectares under tea plantation. We have

five Gardens in Upper Assam, five in Cachar, four in Dooars & Terai, six garden in Darjeeling

and two in South India. The company also has two tea processing factories which manufacture

tea exclusively from tea leaves procured from other gardens.

Besides tea, Jay Shree Tea & Industries Ltd., is manufacturer of Single Super Phosphate &

Sulphuric Acid. It recently made foray into Sugar Industry by acquiring 100% stake in

M.P.Chini Industries Ltd. It also provides Tea Packaging and Warehousing facilities at Kolkata

and Kochi.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

1. It is the only tea company in India having tea estates in all the major tea growing areas of the country.

2. One of the few Indian tea companies to have tea estates abroad.

3. Contributing around 11% of the total Darjeeling tea, considered Champagne of teas.

4. Company has also acquired tea plants outside India especially in East Africa.

In Darjeeling alone company has 6 different tea garden out of which the Puttabong tea estate is largest in area and production.

S.No. GARDEN AREA UNDER PLANTATION (Hectares)

PRODUCTION (FY 2009-10) (lac kgs)

DARJEELING, WEST BENGAL 1 Risheehat Tea Estate 256 01.81 2 Tukvar Tea Estate 437 02.32 3 North Tukvar Tea Estate 195 00.97 4 Singbulli Tea Estate 303 02.22 5 Balasun Tea Estate 353 00.88 6 Sungma Tea Estate 273 01.36

TEA PROCESSING STAGES

Tea processing is something which requires lot of hard work. The people working in the tea processing unit need to have years of experience so as to properly assess as to how much moisture needs to be kept and at what temperature the leaves and other residues are to be kept so as to manufacture tea.

Jay Shree tea estate had workers who had years of experience and were very skilled which was one of the reasons for the supreme quality of tea which they were making and inspite of the price of the tea which they were making being so expensive, still was so much in demand.

The steps which they followed while processing tea are the following :-

1) Plucking

The top two tea leaves and their bud are plucked during early spring and early summer. All of the plucking is done by hand by experts, ensuring the best quality product. Some of our top teas are plucked before sunrise, when the natural fragrance it at its peak. Picking is done by hand. Plucking in Darjeeling is mostly done by women as they have softer hands and the moisture content of the leaves do not get hampered when plucked by them. The plucking season at Puttabong is from December to March every year.

Fig 3. A woman involved in the plucking process

2) Withering

Tea leaves begin to wilt soon after picking, with a gradual onset of enzymatic oxidation.

This process is called withering, and is used to remove excess water from the leaves and

allow slight oxidation. Puttabong tea leaves are withered to perfection in cool breezy

rooms. The leaves at times lose more than a quarter of their weight in water during

withering. No washing is required for the leaves.

Fig 4. In this area tea leaves is been placed for the withering process

3) Rolling

Rolling shapes the leaves and wrings out the juices. The damp tea leaves are rolled and

shaped by hand, causing some of the sap, essential oils, and juices inside the leaves to

ooze out, which further enhances the taste. This method is particularly gentle, so the tea

leaves are usually left whole and unbroken. The rolling process is what releases the

colour, strength, aroma and the taste of the liquid we ultimately pour into our cups.

During the process the leaf juices spread themselves over the leaf, where they dry and

remain in a soluble state. When the leaf cells are ruptured following the rolling of the

withered leaf, the enzymes in the leaf come in to contact with oxygen in the air which

initiates chemical reactions that are necessary for the production of black tea.

Fig 5. Big iron machine used for rolling

4) Oxidation

For teas that require oxidation, particularly the black teas, the leaves are left on their own

in a climate-controlled room where they turn progressively darker. Oxidation is important

in the formation of many taste and aroma compounds. Green teas are not allowed to

oxidize retaining the most important polyphenols and antioxidants. The color of a tea leaf

is originally green, but as oxygen reacts with the cell tissues, it begins to turn a copper

color. This is very similar to tree leaves turning from green to brown in the fall.

5) Drying

At the desired level of oxidation, the tea leaves are gently heated to stop the oxidation

process hence seal the natural flavors till the tea is brewed at home. The drying process

is responsible for many new flavour compounds particularly important in green teas.

Drying must be done with great skill and care.

Fig 6. Machine used for the drying the leaves

6) Sorting and Grading :

The last operation in this long process of manufacture is the sorting and grading of the

fired tea. Its importance cannot be overstated as it is here that the value of the final

product is often determined. The process of sorting has two objectives (i) to enhance the value

(ii) to impart quality .The separation of tea particles into ‘grades’ (different shapes and

sizes) is required so as to conform to trade standards. This process can be long and

tedious, particularly if a large number of grades are made. This is particularly so in low

grown areas which can have as many as 12 to 15 grades. Dried tea is sorted into different

grades by passing them over a series of vibrating screens of different mesh sizes. The

various grades of tea only denote a certain size and appearance of leaf; it has no reference

to quality. Broken grades normally give darker liquor and a stronger tea. Leaf grades on

the hand, are lighter coloured and less strong. The quality of tea is unrelated to a grade.

The graded teas are finally weighed and packed into plywood chests, multi-walled bags

or corrugated cardboard cartons – all inner lined with aluminium foil. Each chest, bag or

carton is stencilled with details such the plantation name, grade of tea, weight, invoice

number and so on. This is the final process in the manufacture of black tea and the tea in

the chests is what constitutes ‘made tea’.

Fig . Machine used for the sorting process

Fig. Tea Grading

7) Packing

Sorted and graded black tea is normally packed in a ply wood tea chest. The chests are

assembled using various components, like the plywood shooks, battens, metal fittings, iron

nails and aluminium foil with tissue paper lining. Recently attention has been drawn to the

use of non-conventional materials like paper, multiwall paper sacks and polythene lined jute

bags as they has given us their black and green tea in a paper packet.

FLOW CHART FOR TEA PROCESSING

Fuel and Power Requirements: Company is dependent on the simplest source of power is in

areas of national supply and distribution network which is available. Their tea estates has install

their own generation facilities for running the plant and other facilities during power shutdown

period. They have standby generators which are driven by diesel engines.

RISKS INVOLVED DURING DIFFERENT STAGES IN TEA PROCESSING

PLUCKING – If the person who is plucking is not an expert then Risk of plucking leaf of bad quality. Risk of plucking in wrong Timing issue – some plucking needs special timing like before sunrise, when natural fragrance is in its peak. One major risk is of snake bite from an poisonous one which can leads to death of that person. There are more than 300 species of insects, mites and eelworms are active in tea areas, though not all at the same time which can be dangerous for the worker who are plucking in the gardens.

WITHERING- Risks associated with this stage are dust and any other small particle in the eye which can leads to eye damage. Also air heating, loose electric wiring and short circuit.

OXIDATION- The problem with this method is that it takes four hours to run the test and, during that time, the temperature, humidity and general conditions in the oxidation room can change and can hamper the productivity.

ROLLING- Risks associated with this stage are while rolling no standard pressure is maintained, also if the temperature does not need to be high.

DRYING- The major risk in the Tea industry everywhere is during the final stages of the completion of processing of the tea is the origin of fire in the factory where the leaves are being dried up. If optimal temperature is not maintained then fire catches and could be a dreadful situation for the workers. An air temperature of a steady 25-30°C is ideal, but if it goes above 35°C the leaf may become overheated and quality will fall off very rapidly. A temperature of 40°C is definitely damaging. Alarm bells therefore need to sound-perhaps when air temperatures reach 33°-35°C-warning staff to turn down the heat.

HAZARDS

Workers in the tea planting industry are exposed to a variety of occupational health and

safety hazards. Most common morbidities suffered by the workers is cuts and abrasions,

foreign body in the eye, insect bite, sprains etc.

Safety hazards such as machine guarding, noise, slips and falls and lifting-related injuries

are quite common . Other hazards, such as dust in the blending process.

Machine Hazard- The blending and packaging of tea involves equipment and

machinery where workers are exposed to chains and sprockets, belts and pullies, rotating

shafts and equipment and high-speed packaging lines containing a number of dangerous

pinch points. Most injuries are the result of lacerations and bruises to the fingers, hands

or arms.

Dust Hazard- Tea dust can be present in blending and packaging operations. Tea dust

may also be present in high concentrations during clean-up or blow-down operations.  It

will have a adverse effect on eyes , lungs and ears. Persons with chronic bronchitis or

asthma are at higher risk. Workers who suffer from hypersensitivity to tea dust should be

removed from the area.

Electrical Hazards- Loose electric wiring which can leads to short circuit. Wires without

cap on the walls etc.

Noise - As in most high-speed packaging operations, high noise levels are almost always

present in the tea industry. High noise levels can be generated from vibrating blenders,

air-operated and other packaging machines, air conveying systems, dust collectors and

box cutters. The noise levels in many of these areas can range from 85 dBA to over 90

dBA. The major potential health hazard associated with exposure to noise lies in the

possibility of producing permanent hearing loss. The severity of hearing loss is dependent

on the noise levels within the workplace and duration of the exposure to noise.

Contact with hot water, steam lines and process equipment can result in serious injury

from burns. Most burns occur on the hands, arms and face. Hot water used for clean-up

or wash-down has also been known to cause burns on feet and legs.

Risk of Fire- Fire is an major risk in the tea plant because of the different process which

involve hot air, water and other electrical hazard.Since lot of machinery is made of

wooden so in case of fire it can be dangerous. Along with that fire in inventory and stock

is an important aspect which need to be look after because the tea leaf is an combustible

material and can easily catch fire. It will also risky for the employees who are working

there.

Hazards History

From the words of employees, we came to know that there are no major hazards and incident.

There were small injury and fire happened but that had been controlled immediately, but no major

hazards and incident has taken place yet.

RISK MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Guards and/or interlocks should be installed to protect workers from moving parts where

the potential of injury exists. Whenever a guard is removed (such as for maintenance), all

energy sources should be isolated and maintenance and repair of equipment should be

with an effective lockout/tagout programme in effect.

Personal protective equipment should be supplied to worker and be used by them during

the process.

Continued monitoring of the risk assessment by the workers could help in a planned

reduction of commonly occurring injuries by agreeing on a specified risk limit. For

example, the safety policy of an estate could incorporate a statement that the perceived

risk rating of, say, sprains and dislocations should at no point of time be allowed to

exceed "very low". The reasons why occupational injuries/ailments (in this case backache

and insect bites) have been assigned a higher risk rating score should be looked into and

corrective steps should be taken.

Exhaust ventilation or other types of dust-control equipment should be provided at the

site of dust production to maintain dust levels below generally recognized standards (10

mg/m3)

Use of pipeline breaking and lockout procedures will protect workers from the

unexpected release of hot liquids and steam.

 Good housekeeping is important to prevent the workers from slips, trips and falls.

Fire extinguisher and smoke detector should always be available and working properly.

Periodic monitoring of health condition of workers both in garden and factory

should be made.

Effective Pest Control using appropriate Pesticides and using it with their Recommended

Dosage. Make sure that in case of organic tea no input of chemical fertilizer/pesticides

should be used.

Safe Practices :-A general safety programme which addresses the use and selection of PPE, entry into confined

spaces, isolation of energy sources, identification and communication of hazardous chemicals,

self-inspection programmes, hearing conservation programmes, the control of infectious

materials, process management and emergency response programmes should also be included as

part of the work process. Training of workers in safe work practices is important in reducing

worker exposure to hazardous conditions and injuries.

Fig. Fire Exit plan of the tea plant for the workers

INSURANCE: Insurance is an important aspect of Risk management to secure the company and

its employees from any major financial losses. Right now they had only two type of insurance

1. Transit Insurance for the safety of stocks during transition from one place to another.

2. Fire Insurance from Iffco-Tokio General Insurance which is on IDV(Insured declared

Value) basis. We would recommend them to take it on Reinstatement basis because it

will indemnify the total loss in case of fire in future.

3. Rest of the risk is been retain by the company on their own.

LEARNINGS

Visiting such an old and prestigious tea estate of Darjeeling is very memorable experience for us

and we have learned so much there. Some of the Key leanings from the Tea estate are-

1- We have learned about the process involved in tea processing right from plucking the

fresh leaf to the packing of tea.

2- By visiting the tea plant we came to know about the various risk involved in the plucking

and other process.

3- This Industrial visit provides us very good exposure with tea industry and we learn about

interacting and coordinating with top industry peoples in group.

4- This visit helps us to know more about different types of tea and what makes it different

with other and about distinct and unique qualities of Darjeeling tea.

5- The worker and employees who work here are also very honest the mangers are very

much satisfied with them and risk of theft of tea leaf is minimum.

6- This visit realize us about how much hard work and process involve behind the making

of tea and next time whenever we take the sip of tea we will remember it always.

Fig. Mr. Somani with all the Student and Faculty