The Cooperative is planning to lease 100 acres of state land to expand cultivation

Lhakpa Quendren

Trongsa—With a growing appetite for healthier beverages, Black Mountain Green Tea, a cooperative in Samdrupcholing, Trongsa, offers a range of organic teas, from traditional Suja to green tea.

The Cooperative introduced oolong and black tea earlier this year and plans to launch Bhutanese Matcha and white tea in 2025.

Rinchen Lhamo, 34, chairperson of Samdrupcholing Ngoja Tshonglay Detshen, said that since Matcha tea production requires shade for the plants, the cooperative plans to secure green netting for the plantation. “We also plan to propose training in white tea production,” she said.

The Queen’s Project, through the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, supported training in 2022 to launch new brands.

The Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives has facilitated packaging solutions, while the Join Together Society Korea, a non-governmental organisation under the Jungto Society founded by Korean Buddhist master Pomnyun Sunim, provided advanced tea-bagging equipment.

“He has also assured us of marketing support if our packaging meets international standards,” Rinchen Lhamo said.

Crafted from high-quality Camellia sinensis leaves, the Cooperative’s small-batch organic teas have garnered a growing following. Available in loose-leaf and bagged varieties, these teas are seeing increase in demand for its unique flavours.

“Since launching the brands, our products have been well received by consumers,” Rinchen Lhamo said.

Social media has played a pivotal role in promoting the products. “Social media has supported our marketing efforts, and we expect our products to stay top of mind for consumers,” she said.

Last year, packaging challenges caused delays in payments to members, as the products could not be sold by the end of the year. “We only finished the products recently. While we struggled to meet external demand, there was a lack of customers in the local market,” Rinchen Lhamo said.

But hope is not lost. The market has now expanded both locally and internationally, including to the US, Canada, and the Netherlands.

The products are also available at the CSI Market in Thimphu and marketing links have been established with local businesses.

Despite its successes, the Cooperative faces obstacles, particularly exports of its products to international markets. High air freight costs significantly raise the price of exports, deterring potential buyers.

“Some foreign agents have suggested sea freight as a cheaper alternative, but we need government support to overcome these barriers,” Rinchen Lhamo said.

The cooperative is a lifeline for its 34 women members across eight villages in Dragteng gewog. Many rely entirely on tea cultivation for their livelihood, with annual earnings ranging from Nu 40,000 to Nu 700,000, depending on land size and labour availability.

“My three-acre plot is fully dedicated to tea, leaving no space even for a kitchen garden,” Rinchen Lhamo said.

The tea plantation, which started on 47 acres in 2009, now covers about 100 acres. The Cooperative also plans to lease 100 acres of state land to help members expand cultivation.

The Cooperative also plans to remodel the two-storey government building, currently used as an outlet, into a café to create employment opportunities for its members.

Members bring the harvested tea to the outlet, where it is processed and packaged.

The Cooperative was launched in April 2009 with 27 founding members, following the tea plants initially planted by the Department of Forest and Park Services to prevent landslides. About 40 members deregistered due to the labour-intensive nature of work and minimal returns.

Residents believe that tea plants were sourced from Samdrupcholing Palace, where the Second Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Wangchuck, personally nurtured the tea brought from Sikkim.

With government support, members have received training in Nepal, Japan, China, and India. In 2018, the cooperative was honoured with the prestigious Best Green Tea Producers Award by the Indian government.

The Cooperative sells Oolong and black tea at Nu 200 per packet, green tea at Nu 180, and Suja at Nu 120 while tea is also available at Nu 3,380 per kilogramme (kg).  Members receive Nu 2,780 per kg, while Nu 600 is deposited into the Cooperative’s account for maintenance, bills, packaging, and transportation.