Small tea growers deprived of actual price of raw green leaves

 From a Correspondent

GOLAGHAT (Dhekial), Aug 26: The small tea growers of Golaghat district are facing problems in selling their raw green leaves to bought leaf factories. The small tea growers have been deprived of the actual rate of raw green leaves by the multi-tiol bought leaf factories.
The secretary of Golaghat District Small Tea Growers’ Association (GDSTA), Achyut Baruah expressed strong reaction over price hike of raw green leaves in Golaghat district.  He said that small tea growers are deprived from their due rate against their leaf production due to which 22,000 small tea growers in Golaghat district have been deprived. Notably, the Tea Board of India fixed minimum rate Rs 18.5 per kg in Golaghat district for August. But interestingly, the bought leaf factories have paid Rs. 12 to  Rs 14 per kg to the green leaf growers. This has adversely affected the small tea growers.
GDSTA  secretary Baruah said that there were 54 bought leaf factories and 40 other factories. He also alleged that small tea growers were badly affected by the conspiracy of Tata Tea of Lettakoojan and Dakhinhegera  in Golaghat district. The authorities of the factories have been ignoring rules and regulations.  As a result, the small tea growers are facing loss while selling green tea leaves.
Baruah also alleged that there was a monitoring committee in Golaghat with the Deputy Commissioner acting as a chairman, member and secretary from Tea Board of India, two members of Small Tea Growers’ Association, two members each from NETA, ABITA and Tea Association of India. The Deputy Commissioner as well as the monitoring committee did not pay any attention to the matter and failed to control the crisis and solve the problems of the small tea growers, he alleged. The Golaghat district Small Tea Growers’ Association said that unless the authority concerned took steps in this regard, they would launch a massive agitation against the government and bought leaf factories soon.

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