Latest news with #LikaMegreladze
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia's tea growers working to revive a Soviet-era industry
STORY: This abandoned building in western Georgia used to be the Soviet Union's Institute of Tea and Subtropical Crops. Here, scientists worked on perfecting cultivation methods for sprawling tea plantations that supplied the bulk of the vast communist state's brews. That industry crumbled after Georgian independence - but some are now trying to bring it back. "This is the tea from my garden, from this season, from this May." That's Lika Megreladze, whose mother was a scientist at the tea institute. She owns a guesthouse in a village not far from the institute, where she cultivates her own small tea plantation for visitors. "It was the only one, in the whole Soviet Union, research institute for tea and other subtropical cultures. With huge laboratories, different laboratories. There were experimental fields for tea, for different plants, there were experimental tea factories, and lots and lots of things." Megreladze recalls the tea industry's collapse after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. "Georgia, a young country, could not save this huge industry," she said. By 2016, official figures show, Georgian tea production had declined 99% from its 1985 peak... With this toppled statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin outside the institute one of the few signs left of that era. Tea plants were introduced to Georgia in the early 20th century by a Chinese expert invited by the Imperial Russian authorities. They flourished in Guria's hot, humid climate, stretching down from the Caucasus Mountains to the Black Sea coast. And now, the industry is seeing a revival. 'For 40 years, nothing was happening here. Here was a jungle." Nika Sioridze and Baaka Babunashvili began rehabilitating derelict tea plantations about a decade ago. They process tea leaves in an abandoned Soviet silk factory. With an aim to reintroduce Georgian tea to local and European buyers. Financed partly by a government grant, their GreenGold Tea is one of several new companies that has brought tea fields in the area back to life. The Soviet Union had also put quantity over quality. So now, they say, their task is to reinvent Georgian tea as a high quality, distinctive product for a new era. 'We must be different from Chinese tea makers, Taiwanese tea makers. Because Georgia is Georgia, and we need some niche to make our own tea.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia's tea growers work to revive an industry that collapsed with the Soviet Union
By Felix Light ANASEULI, Georgia (Reuters) -When Lika Megreladze was a child, life in her native western Georgian region of Guria revolved around tea. Her mother worked for decades as a scientist at the Soviet Union's Institute of Tea and Subtropical Crops in the village of Anaseuli, perfecting cultivation methods for a Georgian tea industry that supplied the bulk of the vast communist state's brews. 'When I was a child, this was only my mum's workplace. Only later I realised that it was something big,' she said. Now the institute lies abandoned. Yellowed papers are strewn around its decaying corridors, and a statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin lies toppled and overgrown in the courtyard. Throughout Guria's verdant subtropical hills, sprawling plantations have relapsed into jungly thickets interspersed with wild forests of tea. Dozens of cavernous old tea factories now stand empty and deserted. Introduced to Georgia in the early 20th century by a Chinese expert invited by the Imperial Russian authorities, tea plants flourished in the hot, humid climate of Guria, which stretches down from the Caucasus mountains to the Black Sea coast. But for the tea industry, the restoration of Georgia's independence in 1991, after two centuries of rule from Moscow, came almost as a death blow. The collapse of the Soviet Union opened its market to cheaper Asian imports, while the disintegration of the Georgian economy amid a brief civil war in the early 1990s saw electricity cut off, and tea factories plundered for spare parts and scrap metal. By 2016, according to official figures, Georgian tea production had declined 99% from its 1985 peak. 'The institute collapsed because the Soviet Union collapsed,' said Megreladze, who now owns a guesthouse and cultivates her own small tea plantation for visitors. 'Georgia, a young country, could not save this huge industry,' she said. Now, over three decades since the Soviet collapse, some locals are trying to revive the tea industry. Ten years ago, Nika Sioridze and Baaka Babunashvili began rehabilitating derelict tea plantations, financed partly by a grant from the Georgian government. Their GreenGold Tea is one of several new companies that brought tea fields in and around Ozurgeti, Guria's regional capital, back to life. Processing their tea in one wing of an abandoned Soviet silk factory in the town, they aim to reintroduce Georgian tea to local and European buyers. 'For 40 years nothing was happening here. Here was a jungle,' said founder Sioridze. Under the Soviet Union, which prioritised quantity of production above all, Georgian tea mainly acquired a poor reputation for quality. Guria's fields grew mostly simple black teas, with bushes harvested by machines, seeing older leaves and even stems thrown into the mix. Now, they say, their task is to reinvent Georgian tea as a high quality, distinctive product for a new era. 'We must be different from Chinese tea makers, Taiwanese tea makers,' said Sioridze. 'Because Georgia is Georgia and we need some niche to make our own tea.' Solve the daily Crossword
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Georgia's tea growers work to revive an industry that collapsed with the Soviet Union
ANASEULI, Georgia (Reuters) -When Lika Megreladze was a child, life in her native western Georgian region of Guria revolved around tea. Her mother worked for decades as a scientist at the Soviet Union's Institute of Tea and Subtropical Crops in the village of Anaseuli, perfecting cultivation methods for a Georgian tea industry that supplied the bulk of the vast communist state's brews. 'When I was a child, this was only my mum's workplace. Only later I realised that it was something big,' she said. Now the institute lies abandoned. Yellowed papers are strewn around its decaying corridors, and a statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin lies toppled and overgrown in the courtyard. Throughout Guria's verdant subtropical hills, sprawling plantations have relapsed into jungly thickets interspersed with wild forests of tea. Dozens of cavernous old tea factories now stand empty and deserted. Introduced to Georgia in the early 20th century by a Chinese expert invited by the Imperial Russian authorities, tea plants flourished in the hot, humid climate of Guria, which stretches down from the Caucasus mountains to the Black Sea coast. But for the tea industry, the restoration of Georgia's independence in 1991, after two centuries of rule from Moscow, came almost as a death blow. The collapse of the Soviet Union opened its market to cheaper Asian imports, while the disintegration of the Georgian economy amid a brief civil war in the early 1990s saw electricity cut off, and tea factories plundered for spare parts and scrap metal. By 2016, according to official figures, Georgian tea production had declined 99% from its 1985 peak. 'The institute collapsed because the Soviet Union collapsed,' said Megreladze, who now owns a guesthouse and cultivates her own small tea plantation for visitors. 'Georgia, a young country, could not save this huge industry,' she said. Now, over three decades since the Soviet collapse, some locals are trying to revive the tea industry. Ten years ago, Nika Sioridze and Baaka Babunashvili began rehabilitating derelict tea plantations, financed partly by a grant from the Georgian government. Their GreenGold Tea is one of several new companies that brought tea fields in and around Ozurgeti, Guria's regional capital, back to life. Processing their tea in one wing of an abandoned Soviet silk factory in the town, they aim to reintroduce Georgian tea to local and European buyers. 'For 40 years nothing was happening here. Here was a jungle,' said founder Sioridze. Under the Soviet Union, which prioritised quantity of production above all, Georgian tea mainly acquired a poor reputation for quality. Guria's fields grew mostly simple black teas, with bushes harvested by machines, seeing older leaves and even stems thrown into the mix. Now, they say, their task is to reinvent Georgian tea as a high quality, distinctive product for a new era. 'We must be different from Chinese tea makers, Taiwanese tea makers,' said Sioridze. 'Because Georgia is Georgia and we need some niche to make our own tea.' (Reporting by Felix LightEditing by Peter Graff)
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Georgia's tea growers work to revive an industry that collapsed with the Soviet Union
Find out what's new on ST website and app. ANASEULI, Georgia - When Lika Megreladze was a child, life in her native western Georgian region of Guria revolved around tea. Her mother worked for decades as a scientist at the Soviet Union's Institute of Tea and Subtropical Crops in the village of Anaseuli, perfecting cultivation methods for a Georgian tea industry that supplied the bulk of the vast communist state's brews. 'When I was a child, this was only my mum's workplace. Only later I realised that it was something big,' she said. Now the institute lies abandoned. Yellowed papers are strewn around its decaying corridors, and a statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin lies toppled and overgrown in the courtyard. Throughout Guria's verdant subtropical hills, sprawling plantations have relapsed into jungly thickets interspersed with wild forests of tea. Dozens of cavernous old tea factories now stand empty and deserted. Introduced to Georgia in the early 20th century by a Chinese expert invited by the Imperial Russian authorities, tea plants flourished in the hot, humid climate of Guria, which stretches down from the Caucasus mountains to the Black Sea coast. But for the tea industry, the restoration of Georgia's independence in 1991, after two centuries of rule from Moscow, came almost as a death blow. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 30% of aviation jobs could be redesigned due to AI, automation; $200m fund to support workers: CAAS Singapore Residents in South West District get help to improve employability, find career opportunities Singapore Alleged Kpod peddler filmed trying to flee raid in Bishan charged with 6 offences Singapore UOB awarded $17.7m in civil suit against Lippo Marina Collection over inflated housing loans Life Kinokuniya opens third bookstore in Raffles City, weeks ahead of schedule Business DBS shares rally to a new record as STI clocks yet another high Singapore 5 foreigners charged over scheme to deliberately get arrested in S'pore to sell sex drugs Asia Lightning strikes kill 33 people in eastern India The collapse of the Soviet Union opened its market to cheaper Asian imports, while the disintegration of the Georgian economy amid a brief civil war in the early 1990s saw electricity cut off, and tea factories plundered for spare parts and scrap metal. By 2016, according to official figures, Georgian tea production had declined 99% from its 1985 peak. 'The institute collapsed because the Soviet Union collapsed,' said Megreladze, who now owns a guesthouse and cultivates her own small tea plantation for visitors. 'Georgia, a young country, could not save this huge industry,' she said. Now, over three decades since the Soviet collapse, some locals are trying to revive the tea industry. Ten years ago, Nika Sioridze and Baaka Babunashvili began rehabilitating derelict tea plantations, financed partly by a grant from the Georgian government. Their GreenGold Tea is one of several new companies that brought tea fields in and around Ozurgeti, Guria's regional capital, back to life. Processing their tea in one wing of an abandoned Soviet silk factory in the town, they aim to reintroduce Georgian tea to local and European buyers. 'For 40 years nothing was happening here. Here was a jungle,' said founder Sioridze. Under the Soviet Union, which prioritised quantity of production above all, Georgian tea mainly acquired a poor reputation for quality. Guria's fields grew mostly simple black teas, with bushes harvested by machines, seeing older leaves and even stems thrown into the mix. Now, they say, their task is to reinvent Georgian tea as a high quality, distinctive product for a new era. 'We must be different from Chinese tea makers, Taiwanese tea makers,' said Sioridze. 'Because Georgia is Georgia and we need some niche to make our own tea.' REUTERS
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Georgia's tea growers work to revive an industry that collapsed with the Soviet Union
ANASEULI, Georgia, July 18 (Reuters) - When Lika Megreladze was a child, life in her native western Georgian region of Guria revolved around tea. Her mother worked for decades as a scientist at the Soviet Union's Institute of Tea and Subtropical Crops in the village of Anaseuli, perfecting cultivation methods for a Georgian tea industry that supplied the bulk of the vast communist state's brews. 'When I was a child, this was only my mum's workplace. Only later I realised that it was something big,' she said. Now the institute lies abandoned. Yellowed papers are strewn around its decaying corridors, and a statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin lies toppled and overgrown in the courtyard. Throughout Guria's verdant subtropical hills, sprawling plantations have relapsed into jungly thickets interspersed with wild forests of tea. Dozens of cavernous old tea factories now stand empty and deserted. Introduced to Georgia in the early 20th century by a Chinese expert invited by the Imperial Russian authorities, tea plants flourished in the hot, humid climate of Guria, which stretches down from the Caucasus mountains to the Black Sea coast. But for the tea industry, the restoration of Georgia's independence in 1991, after two centuries of rule from Moscow, came almost as a death blow. The collapse of the Soviet Union opened its market to cheaper Asian imports, while the disintegration of the Georgian economy amid a brief civil war in the early 1990s saw electricity cut off, and tea factories plundered for spare parts and scrap metal. By 2016, according to official figures, Georgian tea production had declined 99% from its 1985 peak. 'The institute collapsed because the Soviet Union collapsed,' said Megreladze, who now owns a guesthouse and cultivates her own small tea plantation for visitors. 'Georgia, a young country, could not save this huge industry,' she said. Now, over three decades since the Soviet collapse, some locals are trying to revive the tea industry. Ten years ago, Nika Sioridze and Baaka Babunashvili began rehabilitating derelict tea plantations, financed partly by a grant from the Georgian government. Their GreenGold Tea is one of several new companies that brought tea fields in and around Ozurgeti, Guria's regional capital, back to life. Processing their tea in one wing of an abandoned Soviet silk factory in the town, they aim to reintroduce Georgian tea to local and European buyers. 'For 40 years nothing was happening here. Here was a jungle,' said founder Sioridze. Under the Soviet Union, which prioritised quantity of production above all, Georgian tea mainly acquired a poor reputation for quality. Guria's fields grew mostly simple black teas, with bushes harvested by machines, seeing older leaves and even stems thrown into the mix. Now, they say, their task is to reinvent Georgian tea as a high quality, distinctive product for a new era. 'We must be different from Chinese tea makers, Taiwanese tea makers,' said Sioridze. 'Because Georgia is Georgia and we need some niche to make our own tea.'
