STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The prices of green tea leaves dropped as low as Rs 19 per kg in some areas in the state. The small tea growers of the state have sent an SOS call to the State Government seeking its intervention to fix the prices of green tea leaves not below Rs 30 per kg.
The state has around 1.50 lakh small tea growers, mostly Assamese people. They provide job opportunities to several lakhs of people directly or indirectly. They also contribute over 50 per cent of the total tea produced in the state.
Talking to The Sentinel, general secretary of the Jorhat district committee of the Small Tea Growers' Association Krishna Prasad Sarmah said, "Each district has a committee headed by the deputy commissioner to monitor the prices of green tea leaves. However, most of the committees are inactive, and the committee of Jorhat district is no different. It paves the way for bought leaves factories to fix prices of green tea leaves at their whims and fancies. It has come to such a pass that the price of green tea leaves fell as low as Rs 19 per kg in the Jorhat district on Saturday. It is far below the production cost."
Sarmah said, "This tea season will end on December 10, 2022, and the new season will start in April 2023. Small tea growers incurred a huge loss during this tea season. We want the State government to intervene in fixing green tea leave prices to ensure an MSP (Minimum Support Price)."
According to him, the Jorhat district has around 20,000 small tea growers.
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