In India's easternmost state, Arunachal Pradesh, a group of women workers is leading the way at Donyi Polo Tea Estate by pioneering specialty tea production, which is fetching record prices.
Located on the bank of Siang River near Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary, this 420-hectare tea estate is among Arunachal's first sustainable tea cultivators. The Siang River originates from the Chema Yungdung glacier near Kubi in Tibet where it is known as Tsangpo.
It’s at Dong valley in Arunachal Pradesh where India's first sunrise rays touch the earth. Donyi Polo is located about 350 km away from Dong valley, and the state shares over a 1000 km border with China, the largest tea producing country in the world.
Founded in 1985 by Yadap Apang, wife of one of the longest serving chief ministers of India, Gagong Apang, Donyi Polo tea estate has created a niche by fetching record prices for its specialty tea.
"We're proud of our women workers, who are engaged in making specialty tea," says Manoj Kumar, Senior Manager of Donyi Polo. "Our specialty teas are fetching record prices at the auction," he said.
Since 2018, Donyi Polo has been breaking records at Guwahati Tea Auction center, one of the busiest such facilities in the world, by fetching record prices for golden needle and purple teas.
Manoj Kumar revealed to World Tea News that their prized golden needle tea is crafted from select Yunnan clones. This exclusive tea boasts sweet, fruity notes and a caramelized taste, reflecting its rich autumnal character.
"The leaves are hand-rolled, oxidized for two to three hours, and then dried in a tray," Kumar explained. This meticulous process results in a truly exceptional tea, and our women team has mastered the process of making these teas.
He said that the entire process to make specialty tea is being carried out by a group of about 11 women workers who have trained hard to master the craft.
Junmoni Gogoi, the leader of the women group engaged in producing specialty tea said that one has to be very careful in the process of making specialty tea. “It has to be perfect, two leaves and a bud…nothing more nothing less,” she said.
The specialty tea center of Donyi Polo houses three machines imported from China and Japan, where Gogoi and her team meticulously sorts freshly plucked tea leaves. One sample exceeding the one-bud-and-two leaves are discarded immediately. “It’s very important that we maintain uniformity,” she said.
Nearly 100 kgs of tea leaves arrive at the specialty tea making center, compared to an average of 10,000 kg in CTC factories daily.
“I look after the specialty tea center full-time, with my core group members,” said Gogoi, who hails from neighboring tea-rich Assam.
The women's work runs from 7 am till 4 pm during the production season, with April to July being the busiest months.
Donyi Polo's success is not a one-off. Their white pekoe tea sold for Rs 12,001 per kilogram, while handcrafted tippy varietals regularly fetch Rs 2,565 per kilo at auction. Their white tea liquor is characterized by its lightness, mellowness, and high antioxidant content.
The golden needle tea meets the stringent standards of Paris-based retailer Mariage Freres, which has been purchasing tea regularly from Donyi Polo. According to Mariage Freres' catalog, this tea yields a "brilliant red liquor, slightly lighter than Assam, yet highly aromatic" with a lingering fragrance.
Kumar proudly noted that this direct sale to foreign buyers marks a milestone for the estate. Previously, sales were conducted through agents.
To cater to global demand, Kumar emphasized the focus on handcrafted special teas, including white, silver needle, golden needle, golden tippy, emerald needle, yellow tea, and oolong.
Tea experts from Japan, Nepal, and Darjeeling have been providing guidance on crafting these special teas. The estate is transitioning to total organic production, with 100 hectares already under organic cultivation.
Innovative initiatives include public cattle sheds in nearby Oyan village, which is home to 1,500 residents, providing free fodder and utilizing the cattle waste as organic fertilizer.
Donyi Polo's commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation has positioned it as a prominent player in the global specialty tea market.
The estate also stands out for its unique approach to coexisting with nature, allocating 420 hectares for tea plantation and 320 hectares for social forestry and farming.
Donyi Polo today is considered as the whistle blower for tea growers in Arunachal Pradesh, where tea growing has come as a new passion for the people in the land of dawn lit mountains, as Arunachal Pradesh is also referred to. In fact, the Tea Board India has set up an office in Arunachal Pradesh a few years back to help out these new tea growers of the country.
In was about four decades back that Yatap Apang weaved a dream to set up the Donyi Polo in east Siang district. Those were hard days with only a few having knowledge of growing tea in an organized manner. The tea plant though grew wild in some parts of the state.
Donyi Polo today is not only a tea estate but has turned into an institution for nearby villagers, many of whom have take up to tea cultivation in these remote hilly terrains.
In fact the tea estate has enrolled two executives especially to train these small growers in the nearby areas. “We hold regular interactions with these new tea growers and always encourage them,” Kumar said.
He said that the estate has identified some of the remote areas in east and upper Siang areas where teas are grown by local dwellers, which they passed down from generation to generation. They grow tea and brew it for their own consumption only.
“Our mission is to upgrade socio-economic livelihood of the rural tribal villagers, imparting them knowledge on advanced practices of growing and propagating tea. Our team assists these villagers to preserve and propagate tea in a scientific way,” Kumar said.
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