Duncan Brothers

Duncan Brothers produces 12-13 million kgs of tea annually from 9,100 hectares under tea in its 16 gardens. The average yield of 1,400 per hectare, is above the national average. The Group has undertaken an intensive programme to consolidate its tea through infilling, planting and replanting with high yielding, good quality clonal plants raised in each garden's nurseries. Agricultural practices have been improved to keep the bushes healthy, free of weeds, pests, diseases and water-logging. Fertiliser is applied in the appropriate doses to boost production. The standard of plucking is vital to quality tea making and this receives top priority all the time. All the Group's gardens except two (Hingajea and Pallakandi) have factories equipped with modern machinery to produce good quality tea. The factories are connected to the national gas grid enabling them to generate their own power and dry the tea in gas fuelled fluid bed driers. Tea is produced in extremely hygienic conditions with little or no emission or effluents. All the gardens produce CTC (cut, tear curl) tea with machinery to make orthodox tea in two gardens. The tea produced in all the factories is clean and grainy in appearance, strong in body and rich in colour. All the gardens and factories in the Group are ISO 22000:2005 certified for Plantation/Cultivation, Processing/Manufacturing, Blending/Packing, Office Management, Quality Assurance and the Sale and Marketing of Tea. Duncan's tea is well known amongst the blenders for its high and consistent quality. The Group also exports tea. The Group is focused on increasing the yields to counter the rising costs of production and improving quality to achieve higher prices. The Group is always conscious that the viability of its operations depend on achieving the highest yields from its fields combined with producing top quality teas.