Hariyali Cooperative
Description
Grower: Hariyali Cooperative
Tea Maker: Sarad Subba, Hariyali Cooperative
Location: Jasbirey Village - Ilam District, Nepal
Elevation: 1,600m (5,200ft)
Cultivation: Natural (Organic, but no certification)
Signature Teas: Amber Red
• • •
Led by community leader Purna Mukhiya, Hariyali Cooperative is an independent grower seeking to make a name for Nepal on the international tea stage. Tea has been growing here for many decades, even before the establishment of the cooperative and its shared-use facilities.
As a result, many of the teamakers here are some of the most knowledgeable handcrafters in Nepal, having inherited the skills from their parents and grandparents. Sharad Subba, one of the most skilled crafters, is the son of one of the village's "Mothers of Tea", a group of women who have been making tea for decades. Hariyali's teamakers have learned to intuitively handle tea leaves, changing the crafting of various batches of tea to suit the personality of each tea field's harvest.
In the typical collaborative Nepalese spirit, some of the teamakers have gone on to share tea knowledge with many other cooperatives in Nepal.
The tea plants are grown at high altitude, with wonderfully fertile soil that seems alive with bugs, native plants, and wildflowers. The farmers of the cooperative grow with all-natural methods, using natural manures. The name "Hariyali" describes a beautiful, vivid green landscape.
Hariyali Cooperative is located near Mai Pokhari, a beautiful lake of great religious and natural significance. Purna Mukhiya's grandfather and grandmother were key to establishing the lake as a spiritual grounds.
Hariyali Cooperative is part of the same growers cooperative federation as Teenjure Tea State and Pathivara Tea Estate. All of the members are working together to advance the Nepalese tea industry beyond just being a raw leaf supplier for India.
View our travel diary: Amazing Tea Race - Ilam, Nepal
Meet the Grower
Contact us to schedule a Google Hangout with this grower.