Tea is the world’s most popular beverage after water due to its palatability, comparative cheapness and other benefits. It originated from SE China, gradually expanded to India & further into tropical/sub-tropical countries.
Before 1971, East Pakistan had established tea orchards and Pakistan was the major exporter of tea. Separation from East Pakistan in 1971 turned Pakistan overnight from a tea exporter to an importer, a situation that continues today.
The National Tea Research Station (NTRS) was established in 1986 at Shinkiari, District Mansehra, which was later on promoted to National Tea Research Institute (NTRI).
Shinkiari is a combination of two Pashto words "Shin" means green and kiarai means garden. A tea garden on 30acres of land was established with a sound infrastructure on 20 acres land for tea nursery.
Shinkiari plant has a processing capacity of 5000 kilogram of black tea per day but it is working below its installed capacity as only 1200 kg/day tea is being processed mainly due to low production of fresh leaves.
Pakistan has the potential of producing quality tea however most of the farmers are interested to cultivate tea at marginal lands and do not agree to replace the traditional cropping pattern.
Land holdings in the area are small and resources are low. Along with there are no proper marketing linkages and effective procedures to market tea in Pakistan.
As for as the expansion in area under tea cultivation is concerned, there is need to develop grass lands of the farming communities with special technological packages and proper persuasion.
There is also need to popularise tea cultivation by the social mobilisation and capacity building of the farmers through training in other potential areas of Pakistan through proper advertisement.
Tea production data should be properly documented. Government should introduce the home processing units rather than the private or multinational companies. This will create more employment opportunities.