Kanchanjangha Tea Estate and Research Centre is committed not only to producing high quality organic certified tea but also conserving the environment and its resources. KTE’s strong commitment towards environmental sustainability has made its products earn high appreciation in the international market.

The plantation at KTE meets the present demand for firewood and fodder from 20 hectares of forest land of its own. The cutting down of trees is done periodically with a view of its sustainability. The number of trees to be cut down is controlled by KTE itself. KTE has also initiated “two new plants for a tree policy” which advocates the concept that each cut down tree must be replaced by two new plants.

Vetiver, a plant that binds the soil, is planted on both sides of the road and all the farmers are also encouraged to plant Vetiver around their living quarters as it helps to prevent soil erosion. Vegetation including Kalo Sirish (Albezia Sinensis), Asuro (Adhatoda Vesica), Bakaino (Melia Azedarach and Khiro (Sapium Insigne), which are high in nutrients, are being planted in the garden.

Furthermore, training programs for farmers are conducted regularly to develop their skills in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), composting, environmental protection, etc.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is an organized procedure developed to ensure food quality through preventive measures rather than curative ones. It analyzes the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the products and advocates the safety and quality control of the products.

The HACCP is strictly followed at the KTE factory and the Kathmandu office as well to identify the potential hazards before, during and after the production of the tea (the packaging and the distribution process).

With the drawbacks of the traditional approach of quality control methods of “produce and test”, the points on HACCP have been adapted at KTE. The following are the seven principles of HACCP which have been in practice at KTE:

• Conducting a hazard analysis:
  A hazard analysis is conducted in the factory to determine food safety hazard if any. A food safety hazard is any physical, chemical or biological property that can cause food to be harmful for consumption.
• Identifying critical control points:
  A critical control point is the stage of production at which safety measures can be applied to reduce the safety hazard to an acceptable level.
• Establishing critical limits for each critical control point:
  Critical limit is the limit at which the food safety hazard must be reduced to.
• Establishing critical control point monitoring requirements:
  The quality control manager is responsible for presenting the requirements and monitoring if the critical control points are under control.
• Establishing corrective actions:
  If any deviation from the previously established limits is found during the manufacturing process, it is corrected immediately.
• Establishing procedures for ensuring the HACCP system is working as intended:
  Establishing plans whether the HACCP system is working as per the expectations is crucial for the production of safe products during the present batch and in the future batches.
• Establishing record keeping procedures:
  Records are kept as per the regulation of HACCP which includes analysis of the food safety hazards and the plan for its reduction.

The foothills of Mt. Kanchenjunga are believed to be a treasure of medicinal plants and ayurvedic herbs. The Ayurvedic system of pest management is a natural and traditional system based on the farmers’ own skills and techniques.

The Ayurvedic approach strongly believes in preventive measures. Therefore, the leaves of pest repellent botanicals like Titepati, Bakaino, etc, are mixed with the compost which is applied to each bush. Mixture of various plant abstracts and cow urine is applied if there is a severe attack.

In addition, pest repellent plants like Ashuro, Khirro, Bakaino, Citronella, and lemongrass are planted in the garden. The basic philosophy underlying this principle is that all forms of life are inter-related and inter-dependent and that each have an inherent part to play in the overall design of Nature.

KTE adopts the wisdom of our ancestors and uses various traditional methods to improve soil quality, thereby increasing the long-term fertility of the soil. The supplies of nutrients are met mainly by compost - green manure produced in the backyards of our farmers and the surrounding farms.

The following activities are initiated for fertility improvement in the garden:

PRODUCTION OF COMPOST:

Cow dung, cattle manure, chicken manure, ash, mustard oil cake, rice bran, bone meals, jungle foliage, farmyard waste, etc., are collected and compost is prepared under meticulous supervision of the experts.

Effective Micro Organism (EM), developed by Japanese Professor Dr. Teruo Higa, is being used in composting. The use of EM enhances the microbial activity and significantly reduces the time required for making compost.

GREEN MANURING:

Local legumes & botanicals - Titepati (Artemisia Vulgaris), Assuro (Adhatoda Vesica), Kalijhar (Lantata Camera), etc.; containing abundant nutrients (NPK) are grown around the garden and are collected to prepare green manure. Fallen leaves in the nearby jungle are also collected. Botanicals grown inside the garden are also mulched to meet the demand for required nutrients.