KOCHI: The Lockhart estate of Harrisons Malayalam Ltd (RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group) has received three reputed certifications of Trustea, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ in a single shot.
Recently, the estate had gone through a rigorous verification process, conducted by an independent third party. It complied with the respective ‘code standards’.
The estate, which is located near Munnar, has 687 hectares of tea plantation with an orthodox factory, and produces about 2 million kg of orthodox tea annually under the ‘Lockhart’ and ‘Lockhart Gold’ brands.
‘Environment Protection’
According to N Dharmaraj, director and chief executive officer of Lockhart, sustainability is an integral part of farm management in Harrisons Malayalam Ltd tea plantations.
The certification has solidified the management’s commitment to environment protection, workplace safety and product quality.
Lockhart is the second estate to get such certifications, after the Wentworth estate in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.
“Such certifications enhance the marketability of our ‘teas’ in the national and international markets, apart from bringing real positive changes on the ground. Tea brands bearing our label will assure buyers that it was produced according to an internationally recognised standard for responsible production,” said Dharmaraj.
Rainforest Alliance is a New York-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) working to conserve bio-diversity and to ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour.
UTZ is a Netherlands-based organisation working towards ensuring sustainability of plantation crops.
Trustea is an initiative by the Tea Board to promote sustainability in India’s tea plantations.