Udhagamandalam: The Nilgiris Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturers’ Association (NBLTMA) and little tea farmers at the Nilgiris encouraged the Union government to lift the ban on fresh tea factories at the district.In 2019, the Tea Board India handed an order prohibiting new production units at the Nilgiris.
“On getting this round, we made many representations to the board to raise the ban and also give chance to brand new entrepreneurs attempting to go into the market,” explained NBLTMA president Dhananjayan.
“The problem was first discussed in detail in six board meetings held between June 2019 and Mar 2021.” The board issued a round in January, saying that NOC or permit would be issued to tea production units covering all areas under north India, Dhananjayan stated.
Then, NBLTMA wrote to the Prime Minister, looking for his intervention on April 17.
“It’s clearly evident that there’s a biased method of addressing problems of these stakeholders of south India,” the letter stated.
“Individuals having little tea plantations of 10-15 acres might wish their very own miniature tea production factories.
The ratio between the return of green tea as well as the amount of bought leaf factories working from the Nilgiris don’t fit.
We want additional factories,” explained K Sivan, a little tea farmer.
“That really is the earnest, long and genuine unmet requirement of the tea growers in the area.” Revoking the ban could go quite a ways to strengthen the market of the district in which tea farming is the principal action, said vice chairman of Tea Board India B Kumaran.
“The board is currently taking action to raise the ban from the Nilgiris.”