Guwahati: The Tea Board of India has notified the last dates of the plucking of green leaf, receiving by factories, closure of manufacturing by tea factories, sorting and packing of different teas, etc. for the current tea season in the state and the Northeast region. The notification was issued under the Tea (Marketing) Control Order 2003, and any factory defying the order will invite appropriate action as per the Order 2003.
According to the notification, the last date for plucking and receiving green tea leaves for all tea factories in all parts of Assam and the Northeastern region is stated as November 30, 2024. The last date for processing green leaf at the factory for all units is December 2. The last date of intimation or declaration to the Tea Board by all tea manufacturing units regarding the closure of their manufacturing is December 3. Moreover, the last dates for completion of sorting, gapping, packing (CTC and Orthodox/Green Tea), and moving the packed teas to notified packed tea storage areas are December 13 for CTC tea and December 18 for Orthodox and Green Teas.
Tea Board of India sources stated that every year the closure dates of the last date of plucking green leaf, processing, intimation to Tea Board regarding the closure of manufacturing and other related activities. Therefore, this year also, the Board has intimated the dates. The directives are to be mandatorily followed by all tea manufacturers in the NE region, according to Order 2003.
The sources further said that this is done due to the fact that the quality of green leaf deteriorates from the first part of December. If tea production is allowed during this time, the standard of tea will fall, and this will, in turn, affect the reputation of Assam tea, as well as Indian tea, in the global market.
After the tea season ends, the tea bushes in the gardens of the big companies and small growers are pruned. This results in new leaves sprouting in the bushes for the next tea season, which starts in April.
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