Lok Sabha Question No. 3378 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-21
Subject: Concerns of Tea Growers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Saikia Dilip

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3378

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 21 ST  MARCH, 2023

## CONCERNS OF TEA GROWERS

† 3378.     SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

(a) whether small tea growers in North East including Assam are facing increasing cost of production, low profit and labour problems, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether  the  Government  has  made  any  plan  for  proper  arrangement  of  water drainage, irrigation with sprinkler method when rain is less and prevention of red insects, algae, pink diseases etc. for the benefit of small tea growers and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether  the  Government  is  considering  of  branding,  marketing,  packaging  of  tea produced by these small tea growers through Farmers Producer Organizations; and

(d) if so, the total number of Farmer Producer Organizations working for tea growers till now?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a): The  tea  Industry  is  sensitive  to  fluctuation  in  the  cost  of  various  inputs  like  raw materials,  wages  and the  demand-supply scenario  etc.  In  order  to  ensure  remunerative prices of green leaf to tea growers, a Price Sharing Formula (PSF) has been notified as per  the  provisions  of  the  Tea  (Marketing)  Control  Order  in  the  case  of  Bought  Leaf Factories. This formula takes into account the cost of production of green tea leaf by the small  growers  and  cost  of  manufacturing  by  the  Bought  leaf  factories  and  provides  for equitable  sharing  of  the  net  sale  price  of  the  made  tea  between  the  growers  and  the manufacturers. Minimum benchmark prices for green leaf are fixed and notified for each tea district based on the above formula and payment of green leaf price to the growers is closely monitored by the District Green Leaf Price Monitoring Committees headed by the District Magistrates.

Further under the Tea Development & Promotion Scheme (TDPS) being implemented by  the  Tea  Board  financial  as  well  as  technical  assistance  is  provided  for mechanization, organization  of  primary  producer  societies/self-help  groups,  workshop  & training.

(b): Under  the  Tea  Development  &  Promotion  Scheme,  technical  assistance  is provided by the Tea Board through workshops and training to the small tea growers on field  management  practices/  good  agricultural  practices  including  on  drainage,  irrigation etc.  Workshops on mitigating the effects of climate change are also being organized for the creating awareness amongst the small growers.

Further, the Tea Board has notified a Plant Protection Code for safe usage of plant protection formulations for adherence to food safety standards. The code includes all Plant Protection Formulations covering insecticides, acaricides, fungicides, herbicides for use in tea  for  effective  control  of  insect  pests  and  diseases.  Small  tea  growers  are  imparted training of adoption of the Code.

(c) & (d): The  Tea  Board  facilitates  formation  of  Farmer  Producer  Organisations  of small tea  growers  and  also  provides  financial as  well as  technical assistance  to FPOs/SHGs.  The total number of Farmer Producer Organisations of small tea growers formed in the North East till now is 179.

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