DIBRUGARH: The Assam Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturers Association (ABLTMA) held a General Body meeting of their members at Dibrugarh on March 23. On the important agendas of ‘Routing of 100% Dust Teas and remaining 50% Teas through the Public Auctions’ and for manufacture of teas, which are compliant to the present FSSAI norms.
The meeting was representative of more than 110 Tea Factories and after threadbare discussions, Shri Chand Gohain, Chairman and Shri Deven Singh, Advisor of the Association, held a press conference.
Deven Singh informed that the meeting started with members paying their respects by observing one minute silence on the occasion of Martyr’s Day.
Gohain informed that all the attending Tea Factories unanimously opposed the idea of mandatory auctions. They have also given the written undertaking of the same to the Association, so that this stand of ABLTMA members shall be communicated to the Tea Board of India.
The chairman clearly indicated that there has been an ongoing conspiracy to disrupt the existing sales mechanisms of the Bought Leaf Tea Factories. The entire decision making process from the issuance of the Gazette Notification to routing of 100% Dust Teas through the public auctions is being carried out behind the back of the associations. This has resulted in higher price realizations only through the public auctions for similar varieties of teas. This higher price realization by the Bought Leaf Tea Factories is helping the Small Tea Growers in return, as per the present Price Sharing Formula under The Tea Board of India. “Hence, the larger picture definitely suggests this to be a clear case of conspiracy against the BLFs and the STGs,” Shri Gohain said putting forth his suspicion.
The members of the apex body of Tea Traders Associations in India also known as FAITTA, procure close to 43% of the production of teas in India and that the TBI in its attempt to plunder this lobby, has completely ignored the section of the buyers, who are supporting the Tea Industry, by purchasing approximately 57% of the teas. One of the senior FAITTA member, from Kolkata meeting even admitted to the chairman that traders had been following double standards by procuring teas outside these auctions as well, but didn’t disclose the actual percentage of teas being sourced from the public auctions.
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