STiR coffee and tea magazine

STiR coffee and tea 33 Each lot is assigned a trough number based on its weight, fine leaf count, and pluck- ing standard. A scale is also provided to let the farmer double-check the weight. What once took over an hour now takes 15–20 minutes. This upgrade has freed up time for tea breaks. Bor Noi serves farmers tea made from the leaves they have grown. "They should know what they are making," said Hazarika. Raising the bar "The biggest and the only problem is that we make too much tea," said Hazarika, add- ing that the factory needs to be able to sell its tea at prices above 280 rupees ($3.38) per kilogram to be able to adequately remunerate growers. A look at auction prices shows that only 2–3% of Indian teas fetch above Rs 350 per kg, whereas 70–80% are sold for less than Rs 150 — and most of this segment sell at below Rs 110. This abundance of the plainer sorts of tea means that it's a buyer's market. Bor Noi's strategy is to raise quality, tailoring production to cater to specific market needs. "First, identify what the buyers find real value in, and then address it. Last year I realized that plucking standards above four and a half inches would not bring value. So, we are now taking this as the lowest applicable standard and paying a premium for anything higher," Hazarika said. Bor Noi Factory, with just one manager and a staff of seven workers, produces about 700,000 kg of made tea per year. That makes it a medium-size BLF. It has half the capacity of big factories making about 1.5 million kg. Small ones produce just 300,000 kg. Its base of 120 growers supply 17,000 kg of green leaf per day. Managers nudge the farmers to improve plucking quality. It has taken a year to change their mindset and convince them of this need. The objective is to see if the factory can earn Rs 300 per kg of made tea. This is ambitious, given that the current average price in Assam is Rs 140–150 per kg. Raising the bar, Bor Noi has set minimum fine leaf count at 55% in peak season. Green leaf that falls below 55% or above 4 inches in length is not accepted. An added price incentive is offered for leaf that is not damaged. In the field At his leased tea garden, Hazarika studies cultivation. The goal is to address labor shortages, control costs, and ensure consistent quality. He deploys drones, spectral imaging, and mechanical harvesters. Robo6 supplies the harvesting gear. The startup has been developing a battery- operated unit, which reduces emissions and cost. It's the first harvester for the mass market that does not run on gas, and the latest iteration has just arrived at the farm. If this machine can be further developed, it could benefit growers at both small farms and big estates. Sensors and automated controls improve consistency and efficiency while conserving energy. "You need to understand which market you are addressing and use appropriate technology to serve it at optimal cost." Abhijeet Hazarika Dividends As for Bor Noi Factory, its first year of operations bled red ink, much as ex- pected. But improvements began to pay dividends in the second year. Hazarika cautions that it's early days, however, and his team is still learning how to translate theory into practice. "You need to understand which mar- ket you are addressing and use appro- priate technology to serve it at optimal cost," he said. Meanwhile Hazarika is skeptical of perennial industry calls for more govern- ment help. The tea sector needs a change in mindset, he believes. "There's only so much that other people can do for you. Unless you help yourself, nobody is go- ing to help you. We need to look out- ward and find solutions ourselves."

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