PM Modi enjoys a visit to organic Hatikhuli tea estate near Kaziranga

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 9, 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took time out from his two-day-long visit to the Northeast to spend time in a tea estate near Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat district and appreciated the tea garden community for their hard work.

Modi visited Hathikuli tea estates near Assam Police guest house before he left for Itanagar to attend a Bikshit Bharat ceremony in Arunachal Pradesh.

“After his Kaziranga trip, Modi spent some time in Hatikhuli Tea Estate,” said an official of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPPTR).

Hathikuli Tea Estate, owned by Tata Tea Ltd, is situated between Kaziranga National Park and the Karbi Anglong Hills.

The tea estate has been converted to an organic farm to maintain the ecological balance of a biodiversity hot spot and prevent any further environmental degradation in the areas adjoining the World Heritage Site.

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The organic conversion of Hathikuli TE started in 2007 and the process was completed by 2011.

After the visit, the Prime Minister appealed to the people across the world through his X handle to visit Assam tea gardens which are known for producing teas with the best liquor, aroma, flavour and taste.

“Assam is known for its splendid tea gardens and Assam tea has made its way all over the world. I would like to laud the remarkable tea garden community, which is working hard and enhancing Assam’s prestige all over the world,” Modi said in his X post.

“Today is a great day for Assam when our Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kaziranga and Hathikuli tea estates,” said Dinesh Bihani, secretary, Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers Association (GTABA).

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“This is a very good opportunity for the Assam tea industry and a very good time for the tea gardens to invest in tea tourism to make the tea industry come back in a survival position when there is a lot of negative news being circulated about the tea industry,” BIhani said.

“Further Modi’s visit is also a promotion for good Assam teas which will boost our tea sales across the world,” BIhani added.

“Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers Association congratulated the Prime Minister Mr Modi for his role as a brand ambassador for Assam tea promotion,” he added.