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The Nilgiris Nelikolu Micro and Small Tea Growers and Farmers’ Development Society (NSTF) is gearing up to showcase Speciality teas from the Nilgiris at the World Tea and Coffee Expo, 2016, scheduled to be held from October 20 to 22 in Mumbai.
HN Sivan, Founder-President of NSTF, told BusinessLine that the Tea Board has, for the first time, allotted a stall at its pavilion for the NSTF Society to display the speciality teas made by small growers.
“Some of our members are marketing such teas either through agents or directly to buyers in the global marketplace. White Tea, in particular, commands an average price of ₹5,000-6,000 a kg. Though production volumes are very small, the demand for such teas is catching up.”
Rising demandDemand for speciality teas such as Orthodox tea, green and white tea are on the increase. Kenya, for instance, has initiated an action plan to tap the speciality tea market, he added.
“Some of our members have already established micro and mini factories in their respective regions to make such teas,” said Sivan.
NSTF members have taken up the issue of revisiting the price sharing formula for their green leaves. “The present price sharing formula of 65:35 is not favourable to small tea-growers in the hill district. We intend to impress upon the government the need for revising this to 75:25, as in Kenya, where more than 95 per cent of the holding is with small tea growers,” he said.
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