A total of 55 farmers have invested Rs 1.1 million in the industry. “They´ve invested in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 each,” Tara Karki, manager of Ramche Organic Tea Industry, told Republica. [break]
Karki said farmers decided to operate tea processing industry on their own after private companies refused to raise prices of tea leaves despite their repeated request.
Ramche Organic Tea Industry is in operation since mid-June. It is purchasing green leaves from farmers at Rs 55 to Rs 60 per kg, which is double than what private tea industries are offering. This has forced private tea processing plants to raise the prices of green leaves.
Indra Rai of Muga VDC-7 said private tea industries have recently increased the price of green leaves to Rs 35 to Rs 40 per kg.
Price of Nepali organic green tea ranges from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per kg.
“We´ve been able to offer attractive price to farmers, as the price of organic green tea is increasing in the local as well as international market,” said Karki.
The industry is not just offering better price for green leaves, it has also increased the wage of laborers. “Other private industries offer us just Rs 120 per day, but Ramche Organic Tea Industry is giving us Rs 150 per day,” said Sharmila Tamang, who works in Ramche´s tea garden.
The industry has been purchasing green leaves from about 155 farmers in Pakhribas, Muga, Falate and Gholikharka VDCs.
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