The selected tea of the Nauti tea estates would now yield ‘gold’ in the barren Chamba region also. The test farming of the tea has been successfully done in Bagi, Pangar, Godmu and nearby villages. It is hoped that the growers would be able to increase their income manifold by growing tea. At present, at least a thousand saplings had been ordered by the tea estates here. If the tea can be grown in the hills why not here, this question led Bagi village resident Trilok Singh Negi to Nauti a year ago. The expert informed after inspecting the soil that tea could be easily grown along the slopes. Negi got the soil tested and got some plants planted in a small number in the villages.
In a year, the plants have grown quite high, showing that tea can be produced in the area in good measure. The successful test growing of tea plants has raised the hope of bringing prosperity back and stalling the trend of migration from the hilly areas, Negi said. It would open several opportunities for employment, he said. The Nauti tea estate in-charge manager G S Mer said that soil testing was essential before planting the tea. The farmers should also take training. Attention has to be paid to providing water and fertilisers to the crop, he added.