For tea lovers, Tripura’s fresh offering: Bamboo leaf tea

Tripura grows 21 species of bamboo in 3,246 sqkm area of forests and planned forestry.

Are you a fan of healthy, herbal teas? Then Tripura has a new offering for you: bamboo leaf tea.

The brew is being sold by an entrepreneur from the state, Samir Jamatia, and according to his company, has seen a good response in UK and Germany.

Jamatia has worked with the National Bamboo Mission and the Bamboo Society of India in the past. Trained in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan and India, Jamatia has been involved with a number of innovative bamboo-based products, like bamboo rice.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, Jamatia said his latest innovation — bamboo leaf tea – was inspired from his visit to China in 2008, where he had gone to pursue a diploma in bamboo-based products.

Tripura grows 21 species of bamboo in 3,246 sqkm area of forests and planned forestry. In 2019, the state government undertook an ambitious plan to bring 15,000 hectares under bamboo cultivation by involving the forest and rural development departments along with local communities through incentivised methods.

Jamatia says leaves of any bamboo variety, except the ‘Kali baash’, can be used for making the bamboo leaf tea. He claimed it is completely organic and can bring in a host of benefits, including controlling obesity, maintaining healthy skin, preventing Alzheimer’s, aid in detoxification, boost fertility, etc. Bamboo leaves are a source of antioxidants and help boost immunity, he added.

“The first package of 500 kg bamboo leaf tea was supplied to a Delhi-based exporter. An exporter from Madurai visited Tripura earlier this year and got hands-on training on the production process over three days. He is marketing in the UK and Germany, where the product has received a good response,” Jamatia told indianexpress.com.

The tea sells at Rs 120 per kg. He said they are planning new customisations, like infusing ginger extracts and lemongrass, to the tea.

The tea needs young leaves, three-four months of age, dried in shade. They can be cut in various shapes or hand-rolled to make micro balls or can be turned to dust. “You can boil it for 4-5 minutes, derive a tea-liquor like liquid and consume it with lemon, sugar etc.,” Jamatia said.

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