Kallinecherra Tea Estate — A Legacy Reborn

Rooted in tradition. Rising with Sustainability. Ready for the Future.

Established in 1924 at the foothills of the Barail Hills and nourished by the Goomrah River, Kallinecherra Tea Estate embodies nearly a century of heritage. After years of decline, the estate experienced a transformative revival beginning in 2022—its “second birth”—under the scientific guidance of Dr. P. Das Biswas through the adoption of Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology. IRF treats the tea garden as a living ecosystem, restoring soil microbial life, revitalising plant immunity, reactivating nutrient cycles, and re-establishing ecological balance.

Today, Kallinecherra is progressing toward becoming India’s first Net-Zero Tea Estate, aligning composting, plant physiology management, and ecosystem restoration with carbon-conscious science. By reawakening soil–plant intelligence and harmonising natural terroir with scientific rigour, IRF enhances tea quality, resilience, and sustainability. Kallinecherra now stands as a future-ready model where tradition, ecology, and science converge to redefine premium sustainable tea cultivation.

Message from the Director’s Desk

Reviving a Legacy, Shaping a Sustainable Future

Kallinecherra Tea Estate is undergoing a quiet but powerful transformation — a revival rooted in science, sincerity, and a deep respect for our land and people. Over the past years, our team has worked with unwavering commitment to restore soil health, rebuild ecological balance, and bring back the signature quality for which Kallinecherra was once admired.

This journey would not have been possible without the visionary guidance and scientific leadership of Dr. P. Das Biswas, whose expertise in IRF Technology has been instrumental in reshaping our cultivation practices. His regenerative approach has strengthened soil systems, reduced agrochemical dependence, and unlocked a healthier, more resilient tea ecosystem. Under his mentorship, Kallinecherra has progressed steadily toward becoming a model for sustainable and climate-resilient tea production.

Today, as we advance toward carbon accounting, and the ambitious goal of Net-Zero emissions, our dedication remains firm. Kallinecherra is not just reviving — it is rising with renewed purpose. With science as our compass and quality as our promise, we are building a future where heritage and sustainability walk together.



Certification

Kallinecherra Tea Estate is set to achieve recognition as a Net Carbon Sink under the ACFA Ver 2.0 framework for Assessment Year 2025, with a projected net carbon footprint of –5562.57 kg CO₂e/ha. This is particularly significant when compared to the general industry scenario, where residual carbon footprint—after accounting for mitigation from tea bushes and shade trees—often exceeds 3000+ kg CO₂e/ha. Since 2022, the adoption of Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) and Novcom Composting Technologies has enabled a gradual transformative shift toward a low-emission, regenerative tea production system. The Carbon Footprint Assessment using the TEC Tool, jointly developed by Trustea Sustainable Tea Foundation (TSTF) & Inhana Organic Research Foundation (IORF), the first and only carbon calculator for Indian tea, has been completed, along with independent third-party evaluation & validation by one of the most globally reputed TIC organization and also acknowledged & approved Validation & Verification Body (VVB) by Govt. of India. The detailed audit, compilation, and verification processes have been completed, and the certification is now in its final stage, with the formal accolade expected shortly. This achievement is poised to establish Kallinecherra as the first and only Net Zero as well as Clean Tea garden (Pesticide Residue in BDL) in India, while also positioning it as a pioneering, climate-positive, replicable, and scalable model for truly Sustainable and Regenerative Tea Cultivation in the Barak Valley.

We are happy to share that Carbon Footprint of Kallinecherra Tea Estate appeared as – 5.92 Kg CO₂e/kg made tea compared to +2.0 – 2.5 Kg CO₂e/kg made tea (residual C-Footprint after all mitigation from tea bushes and shade trees) industry average.

My Journey with Kallinecherra — A Promise, A Challenge, A Commitment

- By Dr. P. Das Biswas - pioneering sustainable organic tea in India

"The Garden That Changed Me" — A Personal Journey

- By Mr. Sam Jorge, - the only planter who is instrumental behind both India’s 1st Carbon Neutral & Net Zero Tea estates

Kallinecherra Tea Estate: A Scientific Journey toward Net-Zero Tea Production

Kallinecherra Tea Estate, located in the Barail foothill ecosystem of Cachar , Assam, represents a compelling transformation from agronomic decline to climate leadership. Prior to 2022, the estate faced soil carbon depletion, rising pest pressure, erratic rainfall, and heavy dependence on synthetic inputs—challenges common across the Barak Valley. Recognizing the ecological and economic risks, the management initiated a structured sustainability transition under the Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) framework of the Inhana Organic Research Foundation (IORF), Kolkata.

Assessment Year 2022 was established as the scientific baseline. From 2023 onward, IRF was implemented at estate scale, beginning with revitalization of the soil biological engine. Large-scale NOVCOM composting, producing nearly 850 tonnes annually from in-house biomass, enabled a drastic reduction in synthetic nitrogen use from ~80 kg N/ha to ~12 kg N/ha by 2025. This shift lowered nitrous oxide emissions, enhanced nutrient cycling, and significantly increased soil organic carbon, converting soils into long-term carbon sinks.

Parallel adoption of Inhana Plant Health Management (IPHM) strengthened plant physiological efficiency, reduced pest incidence by over 75%, minimized herbicide use, and achieved non-detectable pesticide residues. Improved crop vitality increased plucking rounds, fine-leaf percentage, and tea quality parameters.

A comprehensive carbon audit for 2025—conducted under ACFA Ver 2.0 and aligned with ISO 14064-1, IPCC 2019 AFOLU, and GHG Protocol LSR - confirmed that Kallinecherra functions as a Net Carbon Sink, with total removals far exceeding emissions. This achievement is driven by soil carbon sequestration, shade-tree and tea-bush biomass, regenerative waste management, and reduced fossil input intensity.

Kallinecherra's journey demonstrates that Net-Zero tea production is achievable through science-based regeneration rather than offsets, offering a credible and replicable model for climate-resilient tea cultivation in Assam and beyond.