Avongrove Tea Estate
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Avongrove Tea Estate, located in the Rangbhang Valley of Darjeeling district,[1] sits on the banks of the Balason River at 2200 feet above sea level. This high-elevation estate goes up to 5700 feet. Approximately 184.79 hectare of land is under tea, and there are 500 workers who live on the estate to maintain optimal plucking rounds. Avongrove means "Nest of Birds".[1]
Avongrove is certified as an organic tea estate under USA (USA), JAS (Japan), NOP and NPOP (India and the EU).[2]
Production
The factory was built in 1998 and produces 60,000 to 70,000 kg of tea a year. The estate has a perennial source of water and almost the entire area under tea can be irrigated.
Overview
Approximately 60% of the area under tea has chinary and chinary clonal bushes. Of the 40% that remains, about 20% are hybrid bushes and a very small percentage are pure Assam tea.
Avongrove offers a range of specialty Darjeeling tea. For example, the peony rosette and florette, the latter of which expands when allowed to gently brew in a tall container, revealing a flower when the hot water makes the outer leaves unfurl. One woman, working an entire day, can make only six of them.[3]