OUR CORRESPONDENT
TINSUKIA: The Tinsukia district committee of Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS) has alleged exploitation by the owners of bought leaf factories while purchasing green leaves from small tea growers. The small tea growers are subjected to heavy loss and have to dispose their produce at very low price as owners decline to pay the reasonable and market price on various pretexts.
In absence of any specific regulation, the factory owners fix the price of green leaves at their whims. In a memorandum issued by Papu Dutta and Umananda Moran, president and secretary, which was submitted to the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia on Monday, the SMSS stated that till two months after first flush, the factory owners pay at reasonable price but after that they either stop purchasing the green leaves or accept at through away price. They mentioned that there was also no parity in the price. While the growers from Golaghat, Jorhat and Charaideo get Rs 21-Rs 23 per kg, the growers of Tinsukia and Dibrugarh are compelled to accept Rs 18-Rs 19 per kg.
The memorandum demanded that the government must fix a minimum acceptable price for green leaves and establish government bought leaf factory in each district, besides reducing the cost of fertilizer and medicines.
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