Assam: Green leaves qualify for pesticide testing; small growers pledge to keep quality intact

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Amidst the gossip mill going into overtime that the quality of Assam tea is falling down, the All Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association has come forward with a pledge to keep the quality of Assam intact. It has appealed to all small tea growers not to use any of the banned pesticides.

The association is ready to supply quality green leaves, albeit at a remunerative price. The development came after a garden in Jorhat tested a few samples of green leaves collected from small tea growers at the Tocklai Tea Research Institute in Jorhat. The test found the tea leaves free from banned pesticides.

The issue of residues of banned pesticides in green leaves from small tea growers in the state came to the fore, with bought leaf factories making it a point that they would refrain from buying green leaves from small tea growers without testing.

Speaking to The Sentinel, All Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association’s secretary of the Jorhat district committee, Krishna Prasad Sarma, said, “Assam tea has a reputation in the world. For the past few years, a narrative has been going around that small tea growers using banned pesticides lead to a fall in tea quality as made tea is not free from pesticide content. The bought leaf factories also say that they pay less due to the poor quality of green leaves. We appeal to all small tea growers not to use any banned pesticides. Our association has started workshops to raise awareness about quality tea. In Jorhat, we have stated an awareness drive through miking. In the workshop, we are making growers aware of which pesticides they should avoid, besides the limits of their use among the permissible pesticides. The quantity of water in the solution of pesticides is also taught in our workshops.” 

Sarma further said, “We are elated as some of the farmers have done what we prescribe. The result is that the test has found no residue of banned pesticides in green leaves collected from small tea growers. The government should ensure that small tea growers get remunerative prices for their green leaves from the bought leaf factories and big tea gardens.”

 Also Read: Purchase of green leaves: Bought leaf factories want a tangible SOP (sentinelassam.com)

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