Note: This article is based on excerpts from the interview with Mr Samir Jamatia, Entrepreneur and Bamboo Technologist from Tripura
Bamboo leaf tea is an innovative new age product and the person behind the innovation is Mr Samir Jamtia, an Entrepreneur and Bamboo Technologist from Tripura. Mr Samir hails from Garji village, Gomati District, Tripura and has been involved in producing various bamboo related products.
You can watch the full conversation with Mr Samir Jamatia here,
Bamboo leaf tea: A new age product from bamboo
Widely referred to as Green Gold, a bamboo tree has immense potential to be used in various ways. Mr Samir first heard the mention of ‘Green Gold’ by late President A P J Abdul Kalam who was the inspiration behind this idea. Mr Samir has been utilizing the benefits of the bamboo tree to create revolutionary products. And he got his inspiration for the recent innovation from his visit to China in 2008. He went there to pursue a diploma in bamboo-based products. The product is getting good response in UK and Germany.
While bamboo leaf tea has various health benefits including relief from gastric, the aroma of the tea is an added benefit. To retain the quality of the tea leaves, it is crucial to collect the right kind of leaves and follow the process with utmost care. The process starts with plucking young and tender leaves which are followed by the drying process. The leaves are dried under the sun for at least seven days in a greenhouse and then hand-rolled to break them into pieces or ground to dust.
The tea is priced at Rs 120 per kg. There are two variants of bamboo leaf tea. One is organic and the other one is non-organic. While non-organic tea production involves various types of machinery, organic tea is hand produced with the help of manpower from the village. Mr Jamatia is waiting for the trademark and lab test certificates for his bamboo tea.
The need for resources and skilling
Bamboo tea can be produced in all resource-rich places like Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, and other states and has immense opportunities for young people to build a career. The field is ideally suitable for women and qualification is not an important factor. If a person has the right skills and experience then they can get into the domain.
While qualification is not needed, a curriculum should be launched in National Skill Training Institue (NSTI) to help youngsters learn the right skills to get started. The curriculum should be practical based as hands-on experience is crucial to produce a good quality product.
Mr Jamatia has worked with the National Bamboo Mission and the Bamboo Society of India in the past. He has been producing many bamboo-based products like bamboo rice and recently he has also launched bamboo beer.
Also read: The inspiring journey of Farukh Ahmed – Tripura’s Skill Hero https://www.nationalskillsnetwork.in/farukh-ahmed-tripuras-skill-heros-inspiring-journey-to-worldskills/
Bamboo doesn’t produce any wastage and all its parts can be utilized for something or the other. With bamboo, there is a lot of scope for innovation. There is also scope to combine the product with craft. As bamboo can be utilized to produce various products and it doesn’t have any wastage, it is called commonly referred to as Green Gold. It has become extremely crucial for the economy of not only Tripura but the entire nation.
