Tea is that invigorating and stimulating beverage that we all take for granted but most can’t live without. Now tea is the source of a great career as well. Jobs in this field can be quite interesting. Known as tea management, there are jobs for researchers, plantation managers, tea brokers, consultants and of course, tea tasters.
If you are a nature lover and believe in working in the field, then plantation work should suit you best. The work involves nurturing tea plants, so you must know how to prepare the soil, apply the appropriate fertilizer, choose the right variety of fertilizer etc. Two leaves and a bud is the mantra that plantation managers live by, says Ranjana Dutta, principal and Secretary of the Dipras Institute of Professional Studies.
Processing involves the crushing, tearing and curling of the leaves, which takes place in factories. The tea is then packed and dispatched to auction centre. The various samples of tea from different plantations are tested, blended and branded by tea tasters at the auction centres. Tea brokers who have a background in planting, tasting and a know-how of market trends, auction the tea and the marketing personnel sell the final product. Although computers are now used to blend varieties of tea, a tea taster’s verdict is still considered the ultimate test.
If you wish to take up a career in this field, you must have a liking for outdoor life. You must be physically fit and self-reliant as well. A leadership quality and the ability to deal with labour are added assets for factory managers.
Tea tasters need to have keen taste buds and refrain from smoking, drinking and eating spicy food. Those planning to become brokers should be level-headed and disciplined and be able to strike a good rapport with producers and buyers.
Anybody who has a basic educational background can get into the tea industry, and pick up the skills required on the job. However, a degree in Agricultural Science or a B.Sc. in Botany, Food Sciences, Horticulture or allied fields is preferred these days. Candidates who have specialized in business management or marketing are recruited for marketing jobs.
According to Dutta, Dipras also conducts three stages of practical training. First, a three-day training at STEP – IIT-Kharagpur, followed by a six-week training at a tea estate and then a week’s training at a broker or auction house. New entrants are taken on as assistants at the plantation level. After gaining experience, an assistant can get promoted to the level of Assistant Manager, and then Manager of a tea garden. Most assistants can expect to become managers after 12-15 years of service.
Potential tea tasters selected are trained on the job. Besides natural talent, vigorous training for a number of years is essential before you don the mantle of a professional tea taster and then a tea tasting manager. A tea taster should be able to tell the difference between a mellow cup and a brisk cup and be able to sniff a smoke tint in the tea. His palate should be so trained so as to be able to register even the most minute difference. Tasters also have to coordinate with gardens, look after import and exports, advise researchers on commercial factors like economic viability and quality of tea etc. the world of tea is best suited for nature lovers. However, long spells of loneliness are a common occurrence. Despite the draw backs, many young people are coming into the profession because of the good pay, attractive perks including a comfortable lifestyle. Tea companies or tea gardens, tea broking houses, tea associations and the Tea Board of India offer lucrative positions. Trainees get, on an average, Rs 5,000 while senior professionals draw Rs. 25,000 per month and specialized professionals can earn in the range of 40, 000-50,000 per month.
