Luxmi Tea Company, which owns the iconic Makaibari tea garden in Kurseong, is foraying into plantation activity in Rwanda in Africa after entering into an agreement with the agriculture board of that country.
Director of Luxmi Tea Rudra Chatterjee told PTI that a 100 per cent subsidiary had been formed, Rugabano Tea Company, to undertake the plantation activity in Rwanda on an area of 4438 hectares of land.
Chatterjee said that 438 hectares was being owned by the subsidiary company and on the balance 4000 hectares, plantation would be carried out by farmers.
"The farmers will supply the crop to the subsidiary and get 44 per cent share of the revenues", he said.
For this, DFID had given a grant of ?6.8 million, he said.
Luxmi Tea had incurred a cost of USD 28 million for the Rwanda venture, he said.
Owner of Luxmi Tea Dipankar Chatterjee said that the Darjeeling unrest had caused total damage of the second flush crop of Makaibari.
"Makaibari's second flush crop totals around 20,000 kilos which is entirely exported. The first flush fetched the highest price of Rs 19,000 per kilo", he said.
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