The Tea Board’s Zonal Office in Coonoor has cancelled the licences of 18 biofertiliser and instant tea factories for various deviations.

Tea Board’s Executive Director M Balaji said that this followed the perusal of replies and depositions received from them on the showcause notices issued to them arising from the inspections carried out by the Board’s officials to ascertain the veracity of the usage of tea waste.

Tea Board has licensed various factories for producing instant tea, and biofertilisers using the tea waste as raw material. Such tea waste is a residue generated during tea manufacture and does not conform to the specifications of tea under FSSAI and so has to be disposed off as specified under Tea Waste (Control) Order 1959.

However, it had observed that some instant tea factories and biofertiliser units were not adhering to the terms and conditions of the licence regarding the proper use of the tea waste, Balaji said.

Some sold tea wastes which were reported to be misused in recycling adding colour and sold in rural shops resulting in decline of quality and price in the South Indian market, he observed.

While the inspection was conducted in 22 units, licence has been cancelled for 18 units which had not maintained proper accounts of the raw material and the end produce.

Balaji said that the Board has issued advisory notices to three instant tea factories to follow the stipulations laid down under the The Marketing Control Orders.

Besides, all registered orthodox or dual tea manufacturers in South India have been advised to report to Tea Board the disposal of tea waste, he disclosed.

He said that such action will facilitate the manufacture of better quality tea. It is expected that prices will go up once the quality standards are followed which will also benefit the consumers in the long run, he added.

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