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