Tata Global Beverages has initiated R&D under Project Sustainable Plant Protection Formulation (S-PPF) to evaluate the viability of biological or non-pesticidal methods for plant protection of tea crops.

S-PPF was launched in August with the vision to promote ecological agriculture and Non Pesticidal Management (NPM) in tea production in the country. To fulfil the commitment, TGB is encouraging its suppliers to use ecological practices such as bio-pesticides, biological agents, tillage etc in their farms. The availability of adequate scientific and technical knowledge will be critical for achievement of this goal.

The project is a collaborative effort between TGB, Rallis and Tata Chemicals. Field trials on plant protection formulations from plant extracts were initiated last year.

The project endeavour will be to develop a portfolio of bio-pesticides and NPM Package of Practices (PoP) that can be used in tea crops, as a step towards eliminating the use of chemical pesticides. Field trials and area based pilot projects will be initiated at TGB associate plantation companies.

Through this initiative TGB seeks to benefit the entire tea industry through dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge about a NPM approach for tea crop production. The project also has the potential to be expanded and deployed for other crops.

This will also encompass promoting behavioural changes in tea producers towards rejuvenation of eco-system including soil health, crop protection, bio-diversity etc.

Published on October 3, 2014