Himalayan News Service

Ilam, March 10:

Farmers in Ilam district are to curb the use of chemical fertilizers to boost the quality of tea produced.

Proprietors of different tea estates in the district disclosed this to The Himalayan Times.

They said that they made the decision, keeping in view the high demand for tea produced from natural fertilizers in the international market.

Lee Kumar Raut, manager of Ilam Tea Producers, said that farmers are being made aware of the ill effects of chemical fertilizers in tea production.

He also informed that they are being trained for the use of natural fertilizers.

S K Pradhan, a tea expert from Darjeeling, said that tea produced in the eastern development zone is of better quality than those produced in Darjeeling.

But to maintain quality, the use of chemical fertilizer must be stopped. He said that farmers mainly target better production than better quality.

But, he added, the current international market demands better quality.

Though the production of high-quality tea is low, tea producers must outline reasons for opting for a low-yield high-quality tea, said Chandra Bhushan Subba, officiating director of Orthodox Tea Producers Association.

He added that farmers are searching for an alternative to chemical fertilizers and are using compost fertilizers instead.

But many of the chemical fertilizers do not have any alternative and farmers are continuing their use.

Sachin Lama, manager of Himalayan Tea Range Factory at Fikkal, said that alternatives must be provided so that tea thus produced is of best quality.

Shyam Kamal Mukhiya, a tea farmer from Jaribare, Ilam, said that he has been producing

tea without using any chemical fertilizers.

He said, "I have never used chemical fertilizers on my land and have also not used insecticides. I use cow dung instead."

Punya Dhakal, manager of Kanyam Tea Factory, said that most farmers associated with his factory use very little chemical for tea farming and added that he has been thinking of hosting an awareness programme for all tea farmers in the area.

Currently, there are nine tea factories running in the district, including government and private-owned ones and more than half the land in 48 Village Development Committees and one municipality is involved in tea plantation.