Assam Government is serious about crisis confronting tea industry: Minister Bimal Borah

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: State Industries and Commerce Minister Bimal Borah has informed the State Assembly that the government is in talks with various stakeholders to find ways to overcome the big challenge confronting the tea sector in the state. He also said that the government is in touch with IIT-Guwahati for the diversification of the tea sector.

The minister said when BJP MLA Rupesh Gowala drew the attention of the government to various problems confronting the small tea growers.

The minister said, "The small tea growers of the state contribute around 47.7 percent of the total tea produced in the state. Around 1.25 lakh small tea growers in the state have been planting tea on 1.17 lakh hectares of land. According to the Indian Tea Board, small tea growers in the state get Rs 19-36 per kg of green tea leaves. According to the directive of the Union Trade and Commerce Ministry, every district has a committee headed by the district commissioners to fix the minimum price of green tea leaves."

However, Gowala said, "The bought leaf factories buy green tea leaves at rates much lower than the fixed minimum rates, leaving the small tea growers high and dry. They have now taken to the streets. The government should also form a committee to ascertain the veracity of the apparent crisis shown by the tea companies."

The minister said, "We have also received allegations that a section of bought-leaf factories buy tea from outside the state and sell it under the Assam tea brand. The government is worried over such allegations. The tea industry in the state is 200 years old. We need to see that this industry has no taint. We have exempted agriculture income tax so that the tea industry can survive in the state. We have also allowed the practice of growing other crops on lands that have no tea bushes. We have also allowed the growers to develop their gardens as spots for eco-tourism."

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