Tea plantation: Banned pesticides still in use!

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturers’ Association (ABLTMA) and the Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association have appealed to the tea planters not to use the pesticides banned by the Tea Board of India.

The two associations have alleged that some of the banned chemicals and pesticides are sold in Assam. They have urged the industries and agriculture ministers of the state to look into the matter.

The two associations met on the maintenance of tea quality and the use of banned chemicals and pesticides in the state. The use of the banned pesticides is injurious to health.

The Tea Board of India has banned as many as 20 varieties of chemicals and pesticides for use in tea plantations. Some of the banned chemicals and pesticides are aldrin, dieldrin, captofol, ferbam, somazine, etc.

When asked on the issue, State Agriculture Minister Atul Bora told this reporter, “No tea planter, nor any vegetable grower, can use the banned pesticides. We will keep a close watch on the practice, and if we detect anyone defying the ban, we will take action.”

According to sources, around two months ago, some officials of the Tea Board of India paid a surprise visit to the tea gardens in the Tinsukia district. The inspection team found stocks of banned chemicals in two tea gardens in the district.

In the last part of 2023, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and officials of the Union Commerce and Industries Ministry had a meeting on the use of banned pesticides. FSSAI said at the meeting that the presence of banned chemicals and pesticides in tea is alarming.

Based on FSSAI’s recommendations, the Tea Board of India banned the use of 20 varieties of chemicals and pesticides in tea plantations. A source in the Tea Board of India said, “The tea estates and small tea growers should avoid the use of chemicals that have no labels claimed for tea bushes.”

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