Fair Trade Communities
Arbor Teas receives its tea from many Fair Trade Certified Tea Gardens in India, China, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Here is a brief introduction to just two of the Fair Trade Tea Gardens we work with:
"We give our tea plantation constant and natural assistance with biodynamic techniques. One look at our land, even to the unschooled eye, will show a forest teeming with wildlife and plant life, a bounty of the sky with butterflies and birds, and all these synergistic life forces show up in the cup." --- Rajah Banerjee, Makaibari Owner and Manager
The Makaibari tea garden lies in the Darjeeling hills of Northeastern India. In continuous operation since 1859, Makaibari is one of the oldest of all Indian tea gardens. The garden is home to 610 teaworkers and their families.
Arbor Teas is proud to offer a variety of teas produced at the Makaibari Tea Estate. Click on the following links to try some today!
Makaibari Estate Darjeeling First Flush Black Tea
Makaibari Estate Darjeeling Second Flush Black Tea
Makaibari Estate Oolong Tea
Makaibari Estate Silver Tips White Tea
The Makaibari tea garden is a pioneer in innovative management. As early as 1971, garden manager Rajah Banerjee made the decision to switch production to a 'permaculture' based system, and since 1991 production has been 100% organic and biodynamic. Mr. Banerjee lives on the garden and takes great pride in the high quality of Makaibari teas, which have consistently been ranked among the best of all Darjeeling teas.
The Fair Trade price has enabled Makaibari Tea Estate to establish various social and productive programs:
Education
Computer center: In 2004, Makaibari purchased 2 computers and 1 printer for a computer education program that benefits nearly 100 children.
Scholarship funds: Several young tea garden members have received scholarships to study horticulture at a center in Darjeeling.
Productive Investment
Village electrification. Workers of Makaibari have installed electricity in their homes and villages.
Income generation. Makaibari helped repair bio-gas units, purchase natural gas for cooking and livestock for milk and dairy products, which workers then sold at local markets.
"The tea farmers put all their energy into growing and producing tea, because they know that the Fair Trade Premium will be used to improve their living conditions and to benefit their children's education. They enthusiastically support Fair Trade". --- Zhou Yan, Dazhangshan President
Situated in the lush green Wuyuan Mountains of China, the Dazhangshan association of small tea farmers maintains the region's 1,200-year reputation as the “golden triangle” of exceptional tea production. Wuyuan green tea earned its fame as the preferred beverage of Chinese emperors in the Tang and Ming Qing Dynasties. The unique and natural conditions of Wuyuan’s beautiful mountain peaks – its humid climate, plentiful vegetation and rich soil - all contribute to the cultivation of the highest quality tea.
Arbor Teas is proud to offer a variety of classic Chinese teas produced by the Dazhangshan Organic Tea Farmer Association. Click the following links to try some today!
Dragonwell Lung Ching Green Tea
Gunpowder Green Tea #1
Jasmine Green Tea
Lapsang Souchong Black Tea
Certified organic in 1997, the Dazhangshan Organic Tea Farmer Association formed to promote their organic agricultural practices and to export their tea to the international market. The association became Fair Trade certified by Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) in 2001 in order to improve the livelihoods of Dazhangshan’s tea workers and their family members.
The Fair Trade price has enabled the Dazhangshan Organic Tea Farmer Association to establish various social and productive programs, including:
Education
Foster education. Dazhangshan gives $120 to each of the tea farmers’ children to support their enrollment in high school and universities. The tea garden has also invested $24,000 in building a library and computer classroom in the central boarding school where most of the farmers’ children go.
Productive Investment
Invest in new infrastructure. Dazhangshan is planning to invest in new tea processing equipment to improve the quality of their tea and the living conditions of their tea workers.
Environment
Support organic agriculture. The tea garden will implement technical assistance and training programs in order to develop their organic agricultural knowledge.
