A controversy over the composition of fine leaf in green tea has been settled temporarily with bought leaf factories and small tea growers coming to an agreement that will be valid till October 31.

The controversy broke after bought leaf factories said on September 2 that they will pay the monthly benchmark price for green tea from small growers only if it had over 65 per cent of fine leaf.

The factories had pointed out to a circular issued by the Tea Board office in Siliguri on September 11 last year to back their claims. They also said that they will stick to the 65 per cent fine leaf norm in tea from Wednesday.

Taken aback by this stand of the bought leaf factories, small tea growers led by the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Association urged the Tea Board to review the situation.

The growers’ body contended that it was not possible to ensure 65 per cent fine leaf content in green tea. They also pointed out to findings by tea research association which said small tea growers will not be able to achieve such fine content in the produce.

“Following our representation, a tripartite meeting of bought leaf factories, Tea Board and small growers was held. We have now agreed that fine leaf content will be 25 per cent in green tea. This arrangement is till October 31. We will sit again after that and work out a solution on this as well as other issues,” said Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, President of the confederation, over phone from Siliguri. “We have been facing problems with regard to the fine leaf content ever since the Tea Board issued the circular. The quality of tea varies due to weather, soil, pruning and age of the bushes. We are ready to provide quality produce but we cannot do anything if they ask for something that is impossible to achieve,” he said.

Problems faced Small growers were worried that the bought leaf tea factories’ stance on the fine leaf percentage would force them to sell their produce cheap.

“It would have resulted in growers not getting the monthly benchmark price set by the Tea Board,” said Chakraborty.

The Tea Board, from last year, has been setting the benchmark price for green tea on a monthly basis for each district where the beverage crop is grown. In West Bengal, the price ranges between ₹13 and ₹15 a kg.

“Green tea is perishable and growers are getting only ₹8-10, which is far below the cost of production. We are forced by the bought leaf factories to make distress sale,” he said. The situation is serious since some small tea estates are facing closure.

Hope of respite Following the agreement now, growers hope there will be some respite and things could improve.

“We are committed to improving the quality of our produce and our efforts towards that will continue,” said Chakraborty. Small growers, numbering two lakh, contribute 36 per cent of the 1.2 billion kg of tea produced in the country. In six years time, their contribution is expected to rise to 50 per cent of the total production.

With 40,000 small growers, North Bengal offers direct and indirect employment to 10 lakh people through the tea sector.

Domestic tea production up to July was down at 543.01 million kg (mkg) against 553.89 mkg during the same period last year.

Output has been affected due to a prolonged dry period in West Bengal and Assam.

Production in the North dropped to 398.48 mkg against 420.80 mkg during the same period a year ago.

This has resulted in tea prices rising at the North India auctions. In particular, tea prices in Siliguri are up at ₹121.54 a kg against ₹114.81 for the week-ended August 30.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW