A programme to support tea smallholders, in partnership with companies, will be launched in Kolkata on April 4.

The programme, titled ‘Trinitea’, has been developed jointly by the Netherlands-based sustainability organisation Solidaridad, which has presence in 52 countries, and Kolkata-headquartered Indian Tea Association.

“We will launch Trinitea, its website and the logo and give an orientation to the concept, format and functional methodology of Trinitea to both smallholders and company representatives,” G Boriah, Adviser-Tea, Solidaridad , told BusinessLine .

“We are holding various panel discussions to highlight the aspects relating to green leaf supply by smallholders and procurement of the same for processing by companies. There will be curtain rising panel to be addressed by smallholder representatives from North Bengal, Assam and South India, including representatives from the Nilgiris small grower sector,” he said .

“On the other side of the table will be the companies, which are buying the green leaf from smallholders. Hopefully, the curtain-riser will provide the launching platform for partnership in action between suppliers and buyers of green leaf,” he said.

“Smallholder sector now accounts for some 47 per cent of India’s tea production. Companies are now procuring some 500 million kg (mkg) of green leaf annually from the smallholders. This means, about 125 mkg of made tea comes from company-owned factories using the green leaf bought from smallholders”, Boriah said.

“We will extend the programme to bought-leaf factories in the next phase”, Boriah added.

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