Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri tea grown by the state agency Indcoserve is India’s largest tea cooperative federation. The government of Tamil Nadu has recently allocated ₹50cr for the modernization of its 10 tea factories in the Nilgiris, under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) scheme of NABARD and the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Ms. Supriya Sahu, Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment of Tamil Nadu Government and CEO of Indcoserve, exclusively talked with Indian Masterminds about this.
RENOVATION AND ECO-RESTORATION WORK
The protection of biodiversity for the future generation is important at the global level. Therefore, ecosystem restoration is an essential task.
With the allocated ₹50 crores, the tea factories will get renovated with an aesthetic look. The factories will get a hygienic and ambient processing zone, and the core safety and security of workers will be taken care of. The liquid waste will be disposed of properly, and the natural environment around the factories will be protected.
NEED FOR REPLACEMENT
Speaking with us, Ms. Sahu said, “As the INDCO tea factories are at least three decades old, the machinery is now frequently breaking down during its usage. Therefore the old machinery is to be replaced with new machines with higher capacity to cope with the modern tea manufacturing process.”
Further, she added, “the modernization of the machinery will not only increase the production capacity substantially but will also manufacture good quality tea.”
According to the IAS officer, frequent breakdowns will be eliminated and the maintenance of machinery will become easier. The Clean and Hygiene production environment will be ensured by installing modern machinery.
The ten factories being given facelift are the Karumbalam, Mercunad, Mahalinga, Ithalar, Kattabettu, Frontier, Kinnakorai, Bikkatty, Ebbanad, and Bitherkad INDCO factories.
HELPING THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMY
On asked about how modernization will help the country’s economy, Ms. Sahu told Indian Masterminds that “at the micro-level, the per-capita income of the small and marginal tea growers in the Nilgiris District will be increased by getting better rates for their produce and this, in turn, will result in overall socio-economic development”.
Secondly, the overall economy of the Nilgiris District will be improved as more than 60% of the population rely only on the Tea sector for their livelihood.
Different machines and process of manufacturing tea 
Worker processing tea at INDCO Tea Factory
At the macro level, the teas will find their niche in India, and globally, and the export of INDCO teas will pave the way for an increase in forex inflow.
PRESENT DEVELOPMENTS
Talking about the present developments, Ms. Sahu stated, “INDCO tea factories are giving a better result than any other tea factory in the Nilgiris district.”
There are 16 INDCO Tea Factories, in which four, the Manjoor, Salisbury, Frontier, and BitherkadIndco Tea Factories, have already received an internationally acclaimed Trustea Certificate. Importantly, Kattabettu INDCO Tea Factory is the hotspot in the Nilgiris Tourism Map. This factory was revamped and renovated, Ms Sahu told Indian Masterminds.
INDCOSERVE has taken several new initiatives like the introduction of manufacturing Carbon Neutral Tea at one of its factory namely, KaikattyIndco Tea Factory. Organic Tea manufacturing in KinnakoraiIndco Tea Factory, Conversion of MercunaudIndco Tea Factory from CTC Tea manufacturing to Orthodox Tea manufacturing to capitalize the export markets, etc, added the officer.
According to Ms. Sahu, it will take approximately 8 months to modernize the tea industries in Nilgiris.
