Sunday, January 19, 2020

Thaishola Tea Estate, Melkundah, Kundah, Nilgiris

Thaishola Tea Estate, Melkundah, Kundah, Nilgiris
Thaishola Tea Estate is located in scenic mountainous village Melkundah in Kundah Taluk near Ooty Hill Station in Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. Thaishola Tea Estate is a subsidiary of PIDC Ltd which also owns the nearby Nadukani and Devarshola Tea Estates. Thaishola has been certified organic since 2003 and was Fairtrade certified in January 2008. The estate extends to 190 hectares (470 acres) at an average altitude of 2,000 metres (6,500 feet). It employees 407 field workers, including 257 female tea pluckers, as well as 15 tea factory workers and 16 office staff.

Thaishola manufactures organic black, green and speciality teas using the Orthodox processing method. This involves a machine rolling the freshly plucked leaves to produce the large leaf particles which are traditionally used in high quality leaf tea. By comparison, most tea production in south India uses the CTC method where a series of cylindrical rollers with small, sharp teeth Crush, Tear, and Curl the leaves. This yields more cups per kilo and is widely used for cheaper, quick-brew tea bags. 
Thaishola has an annual production of around 664 tonnes. The majority is sold directly to buyers in Germany, Australia and the UK, with around 5% sold at local auctions in Coimbatore and Cochin. The area is populated with birds and animals of all kinds. On a safari, one can spot elephants, panthers, wild boar, jackals, hyenas and black langur monkeys. In addition, there are over 41 varieties of birds that have been accounted for by experts from the country’s leading Ecology schools. This orthodox tea estate shares boundaries with the Bandipur and Muthumalai wild life sanctuaries; the homes of Project Tiger.
Thaishola Tea Estate is located at about 1 Km from Melkundah, 18 Kms from Thaishola, 10 Kms from Manjoor, 13 Kms from Kundah Dam, 15 Kms from Kinnakorai, 38 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 37 Kms from Ooty, 39 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 45 Kms from Coonoor, 62 Kms from Kotagiri, 70 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station and 108 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Thaishola Tea Estate is situated on Manjoor to Kinnakorai Route. Private Taxis are available from Ooty and Coonoor to reach this place.
Location