MERCY COLLEGE PALAKKAD KERALA PG DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS INDUSTRIAL VISIT 2022 – VAGAMON, KERALA PG department of economics organised an industrial visit to Vagamon on 4.7.2022. 40 Students of II B.A. Economics and 2 faculty members of the Department visited Vagamon. Vagamon is a hill station located in Kottayam- Idukki border of Kerala. Vagamon is a tiny plantation township in Central Travancore and has an overtone of green. MASCO Tea – an Organic Tea manufactured from the beautiful landscape of Vagamon, a small Picturesque town in the mountains of Kerala in South India. The cultivation and brewing of tea in India has a long history of applications in traditional systems of medicine and for consumption. Research shows that tea is indigenous to eastern and northern India, and was cultivated and consumed there for thousands of years. However, commercial production of tea in India had not begun until the arrival of the British East India Company, at which point large tracts of land were converted for mass tea production. The Malanad Service Co-operative Bank Ltd, which was established in 1970, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Cherian Abraham, under took a prestige project, a Tea Processing Unit- with an aim to save the poor member farmers to get an adequate price for the green tea leaves. In 1995, they started to produce tea leaves. But there were several hurdles waiting for them and after facing severe setbacks, the bank authorities decided to set up a tea factory by itself. On 02.11.2000, the society started the new venture, Tea Processing Unit at Vagamon and for thousands of farmers, this was a ray of hope and a dream come true. “MASCO Tea” a whole some refreshing drink is the product of Malanad Co-operative Tea Factory. MASCO Tea is made from tender green tea leaves produced by well-trained member farmers in the high mountains of Idukki District. MASCO Tea is a pure hygienic tea, produced in our fully mechanized modern factory in the tourist center, Vagamon by eminent technicians. Purity and cleanliness are the mission of the company. Tea creates a sense of well-being, free from intemperance, provides cerebration and stimulates the spinal cord and stomach. Thus, MASCO Tea is a medicinal drink made out from natural and well-maintained tea gardens. The promoters of this pious venture are The Malanad Service Co-operative Bank Ltd. Vagamon, the first bank in India which set up a tea factory. Students were able to understand the process of tea production- “FROM THE LEAF TO THE CUP”. The tea manufacturing process begins with the plucking of good leaf. Expert tea pickers pluck only the fresh leaf – consisting of the bud and the leaves below it – which is the key to ensuring a tea that is rich in flavour and character. The plucked tea leaves are brought to the factory where they are put into large withering troughs which fan hot air to reduce the moisture content of the tea leaf. This ensures the leaf becomes flaccid. This is referred to as ‘physical wither’. Then rolling is done to break up the leaf cells or compartments. Once the leaf is sifted through the Roll Breaker, it is spread out on an even surface and left to allow oxidisation or what is referred to as fermentation. Then Firing/Drying is done which removes most of the leaf moisture and stops fermentation by destroying the enzymes. The fired tea leaves are sorted into particle sizes by sending them through sifters that sift them through different meshes. This helps to categorise the teas into the different grades – Dust, Pekoe, BOP etc. The made tea is then tasted and assessed by the Teamaker and expert tasters, to ensure it meets all quality standards in terms of leaf appearance, aroma, cup colour and character of the tea. After industrial visit, students also enjoyed different spots like Pine valley, Suicide point, Vagamon Meadows surrounded by the greenery of tea gardens, Fresh cool air, murmuring Pine Forest, small waterfalls, attractive meadows. Industrial visits provided the students with an opportunity to learn practically through interaction, working methods and employment practices. It gives the students an exposure to current work practices and connect it with theoretical knowledge being taught at their college classrooms.
