Title: Tinjure-CTCF-MASS-Agriterra Tea Export Impact at Origin Project

 Name of organization: Tinjure Tea Producer Cooperative Society Ltd. and Central Tea Cooperative Federation Ltd., Nepal

 Location of project activities (intervention level: country / province / district name):

 Location: Phakphok, Ilam

 Country: Nepal

 Project Description:

Tinjure Tea Producer Cooperative Society Ltd is a tea farmer\'s primary cooperative with 204 members (17% women) located at Tinjure Village in Ilam district. The organization is specialized in the collection, processing and marketing of the fresh tea produce by their small scale member farmers. The name Tinjure means three hills in Nepali language. It refers to the three hills on which the members of primary cooperative are producing their tea. Tinjure was founded in 1994 and the oldest tea cooperative in the country. It has a small tea processing factory with the maximum capacity of 400 kgs per day. Together with MAAS and CTCF, Agriterra conducted a company assessment at Tinjure in Sept 2016. The goal of this assessment was to get in-depth understanding on the organization\'s current development level, interest and feasibility to join the program and need for capacity building support. It furthermore assessed the opportunities for the partnership in business development between Tinjure, CTCF, MASS and Agriterra. During the assessment an opinion was formed on the strength of Tinjure and based on that a business case as developed to have Tinjure export its tea in packaged form to MASS International in the Netherlands under the direct support of CTCF and Agriterra. The goal is to start the sourcing program with MASS at the start up 2017. In quarter 4 2016 a test order will be made by Mass for 150 kgs of tea. In 2017 the goal is set on 1000 kgs packaged tea in Nepal. Based on the result of the activities in 2017 it could be decided to increase the number of cooperative in the sourcing program in case there is interest to continue the program in 2018 as well development of Tinjure, its tea farmer and CTCF is important. The direct export to the Netherlands should become an example for other cooperative in the country. Agriterra will provide training and capacity building on strengthening the cooperative and its business activities. The program will provide a practical learning trajectory on exporting tea for all stakeholders involved. This can bring significant development to Tinjure.

Core project Activities:

• Financial management
• Packaging and quality
• Business Development
• Certification
• Women empowerment
• Other

 Expected Results:

• Accounting and financial management and communication improved
• Improve capacity of key staff on good financial management practices
• Clear understanding on cost, cost price calculation, minimum sales price of product and financial plan for delivering to mass  
• Clear understanding on marketing concept and minimum requirement for packaging
• Better understand export process
• Clear understanding on certification process requirement and costs
• Plan developed to involve women and their position in the cooperative

Project period: Sept to Dec 2016

 Direct beneficiaries (m/f farmers and no. of farmer groups): 204 small holder farmers including 60 female