Lok Sabha Question No. 2520 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Small Tea Growers
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: SANKAR PRASAD DATTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2520 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31 st JULY, 2017

## SMALL TEA GROWERS

## 2520. SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the  total  number  of  small  tea  growers  in  various  States  of  the  country  at  present, State-wise;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  unveil  a  new  notification/  guidelines  for setting up mini and micro factories for small tea growers through the Tea Board of India;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the salient features of these guidelines; and
- (d) the  details  of  various  benefits/  assistance  being  provided  by  the  Government  to small tea growers including the measures to boost their tea cultivation?

## ANSWER

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## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

- (a): The total number of small tea growers in various states of the country at present, State-wise is given in the following Table:
- (b) & (c): The Central Government has already amended the Tea (Marketing) Control Order, 2003 vide notification S.O.21 dated 3.1.2017 thereby providing for establishment  of  Mini  tea  factories  by  small  tea  growers,  association  of  small  tea growers or a producer company which sources all the required tea leaves from their

| Name of state    |   No. of growers |
|------------------|------------------|
| Assam            |            69284 |
| West Bengal      |            35140 |
| Tamil Nadu       |            45125 |
| Kerala           |             8414 |
| Tripura          |             2813 |
| Himachal Pradesh |             5897 |
| Others*          |            13775 |
| Total            |           180448 |

own plantation for manufacturing and have a capacity to produce not more than 500 Kgs. of made tea per day. The Mini Tea Factories are exempted from obtaining any registration/no  objection  certificate  for  manufacturing  tea.  Only,  a  Certificate  will have  to  be  obtained  from  the  'Certifying  Authority'  of  the  Tea  Board  for  selling manufactured or hold stock of tea.

- (d): In  order  to  boost  cultivation  of  tea  by  small  tea  growers,  the  Central  Government through  Tea  Board  provides  financial  assistance  to  the  small  tea  growers  for  New Planting, Replanting, Rejuvenation pruning, Irrigation, Field mechanization, etc. During the period 2012-13 to 2016-17, a sum of Rs.14.82 Crs. has been spent for the benefit of small tea growers.

A separate Small Growers Directorate is operational in Dibrugarh, Assamto look after the  developmental  needs  of  the  small  tea  growers  by  way  of  extending  regular technical  support/training,  helping  them  to  organize  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs)  and motivating them for establishing their own processing factories.

Government  has  set  up  District  Level  Price  Monitoring  Committees  headed  by  the District Commissioner / District Magistrate to monitor the green leaf price paid by tea factories to the small tea growers.

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