Guwahati: Confederation of the Association of Indian Tea Farmers (Cista) on Sunday said that it would not follow the tea board rules to pay the minimum benchmark price to small tea farmers and urge the center to declare Rs 25 per kg as the price of minimum green leaf support produced by small tea farmers , While the price of minimum benchmarks for green leaf debt by buying a leaf factory, MSP is governed by the center to buy plants directly from farmers.
Cista President of Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, in communication on Saturday for the Minister of Trade and the Piyush Industry Goyus, said more than 2.5 lakh small tea farmers (STGS) fostered tea (an average area of ​​less than one hectare), contributed to 51 percent of National tea production.
But because the fall of the price of sudden green tea leaves, STGS is in an important stage and existence.
The survival of the STG community is a big question now, he said.
“Recently, STGS of Assam and West Bengal must sell their products that are very easily damaged for RS 15-17 per kg.
The biggest challenge faced by STGS is that the prices they get from green leaves are never enough to meet production costs , threatening their income and dropping them in debt, “President Cista said.
He claimed that production costs have recently increased to Rs 19 per kg with an increase in worker wages and other factors.
“The steps taken by the Indian tea board, such as the declaration of monthly minimum benchmark prices and price sharing formulas have not helped ensure the price of sustainable green tea leaves.
The factory is not at all interested in following the board rules,” he said.
In this context, Cista is very urgent in the center, under the provisions of Part 30 (a) Tea Law, 1953 to declare Rs 25 per kg price of minimum green tea leaf support produced by STGS.
However, the association of leaf tea manufacturers purchased in a round voice decided at the meeting held on Sundays in Dibrugarh that from Tuesday, all members of the member would comply with the Indian Norma Tea Council.