Assam: Reconsider Decision for Early Closure of Tea Harvesting requests Small Tea Growers

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Small Tea Growers’ Association has moved the Tea Board of India (TBI) with the request to reconsider the decision for early closure of the tea harvesting season that makes small growers incur financial losses.

The North East Confederation of Small Tea Growers’ Association sent two letters to the Tea Board of India stating that ‘early closure of tea harvesting is not the only solution to the existing problems like poor tea quality and bringing equilibrium between supply and demand.’

Assam has around 1.25 lakh small tea growers in Assam, contributing around 48 percent of the total tea production in the state.

The association said in its letter, “The board should adopt the policies of (i) focusing on the production of quality tea by not procuring poor green leaves and avoiding recycling; (ii) the board should adopt a conservative policy to protect the local tea industry; and (iii) adopt promotional schemes in search of new markets and for increasing per capita consumption of tea from 840 gm to 1 kg.”

The association also appealed to the Tea Board of India to allow producers of green tea leaves and made tea to make decisions about when tea production will close and start, depending on the climatic conditions of different states and regions. In this respect, the Tea Board should play the role of facilitators, the association said, adding, “It’s not true that poor quality tea is produced in December alone. In 2024, the quality of leaf in many districts of Assam was better in December than in November.”

 Also Read: Assam Tea Exports Soar in 2025: Higher Prices and Increased Value

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