Small tea growers organize awareness journey, demand sale of tea through auction

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT, August 31: The All Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association has been making an awareness journey from Lahowal of Dibrugarh to Guwahati.

On August 30, the activists of the Association arrived at Bokakhat and held a meeting at Bokakhat tya Mandir. President Gopal Krish Khound explained different problems faced by the small tea growers of Assam and said that they would raise their demands in the conference of small tea growers which will be held at Khapara on September 27. He appealed to all small tea growers to be present in the conference.

In a press release published by the Association, it is stated that there are 1,18,832 small tea growers in 23 districts of Assam. More than 15 lakh youths have been engaged in this industry. Tea has been grown in 5,25,343 bighas of barren land to produce 82,05,94,234 kg of raw leaves and 17,64,72,007 kg of dry leaves as an example of their contribution to tiol and intertiol tea trading. It was further stated that the aim of the association was to produce 50 per cent of the total tea production in Assam and to occupy a place of position in the world tea trade by producing organic tea.

Myadi patta for land occupied by the small tea growers, announcement of 10 per cent premium, establishment of  tea research centre at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, 100 per cent sale of Assam tea through auction system and to increase government revenue are the demands of the small tea growers.