Itanagar, Aug 17: The All Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association (AASTGA), Tinsukia District Committee, has raised its voice for the prohibition of illegal and smuggled green tea leaves from certain districts of Arunachal Pradesh. This demand comes in an effort to safeguard the interests of small tea growers and their survival.
Additionally, the AASTGA has called for tea to be included in the ambit of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme, considering it an agricultural crop.
In a press conference held at the Tinsukia Press Club on Wednesday, Hiren Moran, the secretary of the steering committee, revealed that a staggering 42 percent of green leaves supplied to bought leaf factories in the Tinsukia district, totaling around 94 factories, are illicitly sourced from three districts of Arunachal Pradesh – namely, Lower Dibang, Lohit, and Changlang. This smuggling occurs daily through 840 vehicles that cross inter-state check gates, astonishingly using biometric cards belonging to Assam tea growers.
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Moran highlighted that the bought-leaf factories clandestinely sell Assam-made tea at a significantly higher price, bypassing the Tea Auction process, while the subpar quality tea produced in Arunachal fetches a meager price. Consequently, these bought-leaf factory owners are disinclined to offer a fair price for green leaves from small tea growers in Tinsukia.
The Tinsukia district is home to 56,000 tea growers, whose livelihoods support approximately 1,180,000 family members through tea cultivation across 3,82,000 bighas of land. The cost of producing raw tea leaves in Tinsukia district stands at Rs. 24.35 per kg. In contrast, the price of raw tea leaves has escalated from Rs. 13 to Rs. 16 per kg this year.
The AASTGA has accused a majority of bought-leaf factory owners of being outsiders who exploit the business at the expense of local tea growers. They lament the lack of attention from both the government and other regulatory bodies toward the predicament of small tea growers. It’s noteworthy that even though 40 percent of green leaves are supplied by small tea growers, five Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in Tinsukia district are primarily concerned with company-owned gardens.
In light of this situation, Md. Amin, the president of the AASTGA Tinsukia district committee, emphasized the necessity for the Assam government to enact a law that prevents the inflow of raw tea leaves from Arunachal Pradesh. He stressed that such a law would significantly contribute to the survival of tea growers in the Tinsukia district. To convey their concerns, the AASTGA submitted a representation to the Chief Minister of Assam.
The plight of small tea growers, often overshadowed by larger players in the industry, underscores the importance of fair trade practices and safeguarding local interests. As Assam grapples with these challenges, the collaboration between stakeholders and regulatory authorities becomes paramount to ensure the equitable growth and sustainability of the tea sector.
