Small tea growers decry fall in green leave prices

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The small tea growers of Assam decried the steep fall in bought tea leaf prices that makes them suffer loss. The situation has come to such a pass that the Bought Leaf Factories buy green leaves from small growers at meagre prices ranging Rs 15-18 per kg.

Small tea growers contribute to over 50 per cent of the total tea production of the state. The around 1.50 lakh small tea growers are local unemployed youths who got rehabilitated with this vocation. They also provide indirect job avenues to some 15 lakh people.

Talking to The Sentinel, All Assam Small Tea Growers' Association general secretary Karuna Mahanta said, "Every month the Tea Board of India fixes the minimum benchmark prices of green tea leaf in Assam. The prices vary from district to district. However, the Bought Leaf factories are not following the minimum benchmark prices set by the Tea Board of India. The situation has come to such a pass that they give us Rs 15-18 per kg of green leaves. This range of price doesn't even fetch the cost, let alone profit.

"We, therefore, appeal to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Tea Board of India and State Industries Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary to fix the minimum benchmark price of green tea leaf in the State at Rs 40 per kg, and ensure that the Bought Tea Factories of the State adhere to the minimum benchmark price."

In July, the Tea Board of India fixed the prices of green leaves at Rs 32.60 per kg in the Jorhat district,

Rs 33.94 per kg in the Cachar district and Rs 25.10 per kg in the Goalpara district.

Meanwhile, Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary interacted with the leaders of the small tea growers' association at a meeting on Thursday evening.

The associations drew the attention of the Minister for minimum benchmark price.

Patowary assured the tea growers of addressing their grievances. The meeting decided that Patoway would hold a meeting with all the deputy commissioners to monitor that Bought Leaf Factories buy only quality tea leaves and ensure a fair price for the small tea growers.

The Minister asked Arunita Phukan Yadav, executive director, Tea Board of India, NE Zone, to instruct all the development officers of the Board to visit the Bought Leaf Factories and monitor strict compliance of the quality of tea leaves and fair price.

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