Everest Tea Garden is looking to resume production from mid-April after the earthquake of 2015 halted operations for three years. The company is in the process of getting its organic certification and environment impact assessment (EIA), said Mohan Giri, operator of the tea garden located at Melamchi municipality-2.

According to Giri, the garden produces high quality tea leaves and the company wants to get the organic certificate to promote their tea as such.

While the tea garden is spread across 1,500 ropanies of land, the tea leaves are grown on only 900 ropanies of land. The company produces 12 tonnes of tea worth Rs60 million.

The garden was first started by Som Prasad Gauchan back in 1996 with Giri taking over the business two years later. Giri claims that nearly Rs730 million has been invested in the tea garden.

According to the tea estate’s field in charge Raj Kumar Khatiwada, the tea garden has completed 22 years of its 45 year lease. “We are researching organic tea and plan to develop the place as a research hub,” said Khatiwada.

The company also plans to develop the Melamchi area as a tourist centre by opening home stays near the tea garden. Other plans include opening a tea teaching school in the area which has remained undeveloped after the massive earthquake of 2015.

The tea garden currently provides employment to 70 people.

“We have long term plans to develop Melamchi as a tourist area in coordination with Everest Tea Garden,” said Damber Aryal, mayor of Melamchi municipality, adding “Rs50 million has been set aside to expand the tea garden from Bhotechaur to Dhaulagiri and Dhasenechaur.