Sairaj Iyer | July 2016 Issue | The Dollar Business
Tea is a class that only a few can understand," explains Basamlu Krisikro, as she pours Wakro Organic Tea, her own brand, into the cup. The sparkle in her eyes and an incredible enthusiasm in her voice when she speaks about tea reminds us of the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American transcendentalist, who about a century ago said: “Some people will tell you there is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea.” And that's what exactly we could see Basamlu doing since the start of the conversation.
Basamlu Krisikro, or the "Tea Lady" as she is better know in and around her hometown, hails from Arunachal Pradesh, the north-eastern-most state of India, where savouring exotic teas has rarely been a part of the culture. Rather, in recent years, there have been rumours that illicit poppy cultivation – what many would consider a social evil – has gained wide(r) acceptance in the region.
We hear through the grapevine that deep within the densely forested state, poppy farming is a way to make quick money. Basamlu narrates that the practice has had a huge negative impact on social and moral values as many growers have fallen prey to opium addiction. In fact, poppy cultivation has not only harmed the populace, but also the picturesque lush greens as poppy farming requires virgin land every two years, leaving many parts of the forests barren.
Amidst the poppy mafias, Basamlu decided to grow green tea and named it Wakro Organic Tea.
Basamlu’s activity is not only limited to farming. Over the years, she has also been trying hard to wash off the highly obnoxious toxin that addicts have been injecting into the system. She is also steadiinvolving locals and addicts into the organic trade and helping in maintaining ecological balance by going completely organic.
Basamlu Krisikro is an agro-entrepreneur from Arunachal Pradesh.
She holds a Master degree in Political Science from Delhi University.
High on Health
While talking to Basamlu and sipping the tea, we realised that Wakro Organic Tea is nothing like the ones we have sampled before, not even in prominent hotels or tea tasting events. She also handed over a packet of the product to us, which we inspected closely. It was a simple strip pouch with a lively photo of the plantation surrounded by rolling greens in the backdrop. We turned the packet and saw logos of FSSAI, USFDA, Indocert and India Organic – all that stand testament to standards that the tea complies to.
"Three grams or a pinch is enough for one person," suggests Basamlu. Curiously, we take a quick whiff – the invigorating aroma is rejuvenating. Wakro, she explains, is an anti-oxidant tea that helps in building the body’s ability to ward off diseases and slows down the degenerative ageing processes. Regular consumption also protects the liver from negative side effects of toxic substances such as alcohol. It also cures digestive disorders such as Cohn’s disease and ulcerative Colitis – it seems it can also cure stomach, pancreatic, esophageal, prostate and colorectal cancer.
The Beginning
So, how did it all begin?
Basamlu harks back to the time when her mentor, Vinod Sehra, another tea planter from Rajasthan (she refers to him as her godfather), was prodding her to start an organic tea plantation in Arunachal Pradesh. But she was a little hesitant. Meanwhile, in 2009, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Surprisingly, the oranges in her garden also started to wilt at the same time. “Many suggested organic tea for my mother, and our garden wasn’t doing any good because of severe climatic changes. So, I said it's time now to switch to herbal tea!” she recalls.
Organic green tea plantation solved two of her problems. Her waning garden had new plants and she could also serve organic tea to her ailing mother. But it wasn’t the end! It was the beginning of an adventurous journey she never dreamed of! And even for a lady like Basamlu, who has enough experience in farming and tea plantation, it wasn't all smooth and merry, because organic tea plantation was an entirely different experience.
She narrates, “Even during my college days, I would experiment in the farm with the help of friends and parents. I planted almost 1,010 orange trees in our garden.” Like many other postgraduates in her state, she tried getting a government job, but it never happened. But her misfortune did work in her favour! As a housewife, she had enough time to experiment in the plantation, which paid off soon. Also, her mother didn't take long to recover and she could then focus completely on her five-hectare plantation in her backyard in Wakro.
Taking Flight
"My mentor always advised me to start with micro plantations, which I did. Slowly curious people started visiting us, enquiring about the initial investment and projected earnings. The first person to join the plantation was a doctor, followed by villagers, including a drug addict,” she reminisces.
By 2011, Basamlu had started supplying to several local markets in Arunachal Pradesh and nearby states like Assam. And gradually Japan and Germany became her international markets. However, the nearest processing unit was an hour and a half drive away – thus delaying and limiting her progress. In 2011, she decided to establish her own processing unit. She invested Rs.23 lakh, mostly funded by her husband and two other partners, and finally procured the machinery from Assam.
Basamlu wasn't very happy with the whole process because no bank or financial institution was willing to offer her financial assistance. However, encouraging other agriculturists, she says, “One may think that tea plantation is only for the rich to get into, but nobody bothers to look into the depth this business offers. There is something for everyone in this trade.”
Today, Wakro Organic Tea is exported to countries like Canada, Germany, Japan, Korea, etc.
A Battle Won
Wakro Organic Tea was an instant hit among customers. “In no time, even people from nearby Assam were asking about the herbal tea from Wakro plantation,” Basamlu proudly tells us. Positive feedbacks from customers encouraged her and boosted the confidence. She reminisces, “Once it took a lot of convincing to sell a 100 gm packet to a German family that was touring around Wakro. But to my surprise, the family hired a car and drove back 100-km to purchase two more kilograms once they tasted the tea. They said that the taste is quite comparable with the hi-quality Chinese and Japanese organic green tea, and costs a fraction of it.”
What started as an experiment slowly turned into a cooperative society, with 11 members. It also moved from hand-rolls to machine-led processing and started producing around 3,200 kg of organic tea annually. It was now time to go through stringent quality tests. And not surprisingly, it was a cake walk for Wakro Organic Tea to clear all quality tests of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). And that's something Basamlu Krisikro is really proud of.
Organic tea can be grown across different soil patterns, however, growing it in hilly areas can be really challenging. Basamlu had to overcome some major hindrances, such as space between saplings, presence of rocks and loose soil. Another major challenge was the method of plucking leaves, which according to her is both a science and an art. “I was unaware of the ground realities, such as when to cultivate saplings, how to prune trees, irrigation, harvest, etc. So, I joined a local tea plantation and learned whatever (and as early as possible) I could, such as how much a labour can work in a day or how to process tea leaves," she recalls. It was worth investing time and, with practice, she could soon pluck about 3-5 kg of tea leaves a day.
Media Blooper
In 2013, a few renowned national dailies and magazines reported that Basamlu Krisikro was selling organic herbal tea, made of Mishmi Teeta. The story travelled near and far – she even started receiving phone calls from foreign countries. “I don't know how it went all wrong, but Mishmi Teeta is found only in deep forest areas. The government has banned buying and selling of Mishmi Teeta even for the locals. Also, it isn’t an herbal tea, but a root that contains medicinal values. It was a huge misinterpretation,” she clarifies.
A Whiff of India
Today, Canada is a major export destination for Wakro Organic Tea. Besides, the tea is also bought by tourists from countries such as Germany, Japan, Korea, etc. Basamlu elucidates, “I have been always told that the tea that we get in the local market is third-grade tea and the best ones are exported. So my main target has been the local market, not exports.”
Speaking about her first exports experience, she says, “A local NGO has been collecting organic farm products for more than two decades in Assam and Arunachal. I signed a letter of intent with them, and barring 2013, I have managed to export 500 kg every year.”
However, she feels that her first consignment wasn’t quite satisfactory. “The NGO comes just once or twice every year and fixes the price. Thus, we don’t have to run around for exports. Most overseas consumers are now well aware about our products, but my first consignment was on a no-profit-no-loss basis.”
Go global!
When it comes to black tea, both fermented and unfermented (HS Codes: 090230 & 090240), India is the second largest exporter of black tea (India exported $663.65 million worth of black tea in CY2015) in the world after Sri Lanka. 
But, when it comes to green tea exports, both fermented and unfermented (HS Codes: 090210 & 090220), India stands at 12th position – with a combined exports value of $14.27 million in CY2015. In spite of the availability of massive stretches of land in the northeast of India for green tea farming, India produces just a minuscule 1.34% of China’s total production. Thus, the success story of Basamlu could well be utilised in uplifting India’s tea story, which is undergoing a slump, thanks to labour issues and climatic challenges with Assam.
On the exports front, Russia and Kazakhstan are emerging destinations for Indian organic tea. Sources engaged in foreign trade point that demand is also strong in Japan and Taiwan. Even the Indian retail market has a good demand for organic tea, from the homegrown Twining to the Sri Lankan Basilur, and many more. All one needs to do is tap this huge market through high-quality tea.
Basamlu Krisikro invested Rs.23 lakh, mostly funded by her husband
and two other partners, to set up a processing unit in her backyard.
Far from Rewards
Exporters of tea are entitled to rewards and benefits from the government, but Wakro Organic Tea is far from even receiving an acknowledgement from the local authorities, forget about recognition from the state and the Centre. Basamlu has participated in tea-tasting competitions in Delhi and Mumbai, but those results are yet to materialise. When we asked her what kind of rewards and assistance would motivate her, she replies bluntly “Should I expect any?” Her tone wasn’t very encouraging. But being from a state that lacks even the most basic infrastructure, export rewards could lift her morale.
A turnover of Rs.35 lakh per annum sure is on the lower side to persuade any organic tea farmer to explore exports as an option, but she does not plan to give up. “The numbers aren't motivating, so we are targeting Rs.50 lakh in turnover by 2017,” she says. Earning small profits and motivating drug addicts to join a cause on the side may be encouragement enough for Basamlu. But then, she has earned adequate to even out her investment, without any government support, and that is quite an achievement.
Obstacles Galore
Recently, Basamlu's farm was unfortunately demarcated as a part of a reserve forest, which now puts her at a disadvantage. And because of this, even banks are unwilling to loan her any money. “The bureaucrats without a physical inspection have demarcated a particular stretch of land as a part of a forest reserve. The communication and infrastructure was definitely poor in the region, and what they have done now is really very sad,” she passionately expresses her grief.
Also, erratic climate and logistics are other major concerns. While climate change is impacting production, Basamlu has to travel about 140 km to Tinsukia in Assam, every time she wants to despatch a pack of her organic tea to her customers in India and abroad. In addition, what the government should have curbed years ago has now become Basamlu’s and her cooperative's problem to solve – the illicit poppy cultivation has spread to 90% of the cultivators in Arunachal Pradesh today. Basamlu is trying to raise funds to help the addicts, but a miracle is yet to happen.
The organic belt of India, the Seven Sisters, faces several hindrances such as dialects, ideologies, mindset, etc., and have not managed to steer any major development. “I am the Vice Chairman of the North Eastern Organic Association, but we don’t have an agreement. One person says something, while the other calls for something else. Forget the association! Even within Arunachal Pradesh, thoughts and dialects are in a disarray,” she explains.
Winds of Change
Over the years, Basamlu Krisikro has been acknowledged as a dignitary with TNI (Transnational Institute), a German NGO, which deals with issues such as poppy cultivation. And despite many challenges, she has managed to create a buzz about her product. “Women in Arunachal are hardworking. Men either snort poppy or lie drinking. We have to work hard in the farm, finish household chores and also earn for the family. But, determined women have done it, and can do it going forward,” she says.
Her son, who has just landed into a premier B-school in Pune, has patiently been observing her challenges. He aspires to join her someday. Imagine what she would achieve if adequate policy, financial and infrastructural support were to be hers.
Enough inspiration to tee off is this Tea Lady for many of India's underprivileged, yet aspiring exporters!
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