Lok Sabha Question No. 372 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-12
Subject: Tea Production
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 372(H) TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 th  DECEMBER, 2016

## TEA PRODUCTION

## *372(H). DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL "NISHANK":

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

- (a) the total production of tea in the country especially in the Himalayan States during the last three years, State/UT-wise including Uttarakhand;
- (b) whether the Government has taken or proposes to take steps to increase the production of tea in the Himalayan region;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  other steps taken by the Government to promote research work in the field of tea production; and
- (d) whether agreements have been signed with various universities in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

a) to  d):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.372(H)   FOR ANSWER ON 12 th  DECEMBER, 2016 REGARDING 'TEA PRODUCTION'

- (a):    Total  production  of  tea  in  the  country,  including  Himalayan  states  and  Uttarakhand during last three years are given in the following Table:

(In million kg)

| STATE       |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |
|-------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Assam       |    629.05 |    606.8  |    652.95 |
| West Bengal |    312.1  |    324.26 |    329.7  |
| Tamil Nadu  |    174.71 |    167.42 |    161.49 |
| Kerala      |     63.48 |     67.2  |     56.63 |
| Arunachal   |     10.85 |     11.56 |     11.36 |
| Tripura     |      9.15 |      9.03 |      8.96 |
| Karnataka   |      5.52 |      6.74 |      6.46 |
| Bihar       |      2.43 |      2.72 |      4.02 |
| Himachal    |      0.85 |      0.84 |      0.89 |
| Meghalaya   |      0.41 |      0.47 |      0.31 |
| Nagaland    |      0.07 |      0.01 |      0.18 |
| Uttarakhand |      0.06 |      0.05 |      0.11 |
| Sikkim      |      0.1  |      0.08 |      0.08 |
| Total=      |   1208.78 |   1197.18 |   1233.14 |

- (b) to (d): In order to increase the production of tea in all the tea growing regions of the Country including the tea growing belt of the Himalayan region, the 'Tea Development & Promotion  Scheme''  is  being  implemented  by  the  Tea  Board.  The  main  activities  of  the Scheme, inter alia, includes replantation, rejuvenation, field mechanization, factory modernization,  quality  certification  and  workers  welfare.    Besides,  there  is  provision  of Special  Packages  for  Kangra  (Himachal  Pradesh)  and  non  traditional  areas  of  the  North Eastern States including Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Tea Board has approved a proposal of Uttarakhand Tea Development Board of the State Government for raising of nursery.

Tea Board regularly undertakes activities aimed at promoting research in association with research institutions such as Tea Research Association (TRA), Tea Research Foundation (TRF) of United Planters' Association of Southern India (UPASI) and others.

Though  no  agreement  has  been  signed  so  far  with  any  universities,  integrated  research projects on improved planting material with higher productivity and quality, cost effective pest  management,  mechanisation  of  farm  operation,  etc.  have  been  formulated  in cooperation  with  reputed  research  and  development  institutes  and  universities,  e.g. Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi  Viswavidyalaya, Institute of  Himalayan Bioresource  Technology,  Palampur;    Assam  Agricultural  University,  IIT-  Kharagpur  etc.  for the benefit of the Tea industry.

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