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The Tea Board is waiting for funds from Central Government to distribute subsidy and implement its various schemes.
“Unlike the previous practice of five-year schemes, now, the Government is encouraging three-year medium term schemes. Accordingly, the proposals for medium term funding till 2020 are under the consideration of the Government. We are hoping that the funds will come soon. Once that happens, it will help us disburse subsidies”, Tea Board Executive Director C Paulrasu told Business Line .
He said that replanting subsidy has been enhanced to 30 per cent of the assessed cost from 25 per cent and the Board is working on providing subsidy for irrigation, extension planting, organic tea cultivation, field mechanisation and factory modernisation.
He said that 37 per cent of the area under tea among big gardens are aged over 50 years and need to be replanted.
“Tea Small growers are contributing about 44 per cent of the tea production in South India and small-scale bought leaf factories are growing in number. There is also considerable interest to set up mini and micro factories”, he disclosed.
On prices, he said that the registered brokers at the auctions have a major role to play. “Brokers are an important section of stakeholders for the tea industry. We thank them for their contribution. However, we urge them to do better. Instead of focussing only on quantity, they should also work on enhancing quality. This will help prices to improve”, he advised.
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