Lok Sabha Question No. 104 (STARRED), answered on 2016-07-25
Subject: Small Tea Growers
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: R.K. BHARATHI MOHAN, RAMEN DEKA

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 104

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH  JULY, 2016

## SMALL TEA GROWERS

## *104.  SHRI BHARATHI MOHAN R.K.: SHRI RAMEN DEKA:

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) 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.104   FOR ANSWER ON 25 TH  JULY, 2016 REGARDING 'SMALL TEA GROWERS'

(a): Estimated  number  of  small  tea  growers  in  various  states  of  the  country  is around 2 lakh. State-wise details are at Annexure.

(b) & (c): In  order  to  encourage  the  small  tea  growers  to  have  their  own  tea producing units and get better price for their produce, it has been proposed to amend the Tea (Marketing) Control Order, 2003 so as to define Mini and Micro factories and to exempt them from obtaining No Objection Certificate for manufacturing tea.

(d): Various  benefits/assistance  being  provided  by  the  Government  to  small  tea growers including the measures to boost their tea cultivation are as follows:

- i. The Tea Development and Promotion Scheme implemented by the Tea Board has  a  separate  component  for  the  development  of  small  tea  growers.  The scheme  aims  at addressing the special needs  of small tea growers, particularly in the area of improving production and productivity and establishing  processing  factories  with  special  focus  on  enhancement  of quality.  Financial  assistance  of  around  Rs.55.56  crore  has  so  far  been extended to the small tea growers in the XII plan.
- ii. A separate Directorate under Tea Board, headquartered at Dibrugarh, Assam has been set up for catering to the developmental needs of small tea growers. The Directorate through its sub-regional offices carries out extension activities aimed at improving quality, consistency and better price realization of Tea.
- iii. In order to ensure better price to small tea growers who supply tea leaves to factories, price sharing formulae have been notified for different tea growing states. Payment of green leaf price to the growers is closely monitored by the District Green Leaf Price Monitoring Committees.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No.104 for answer on 25 th July, 2016

Estimated State wise breakup of the Small Tea Growers in the country:

| State             |   No. of Small Growers |
|-------------------|------------------------|
| Assam             |                  95500 |
| Tamil Nadu        |                  50000 |
| West Bengal       |                  29800 |
| Kerala            |                  10000 |
| Bihar             |                   5000 |
| Tripura           |                   3500 |
| Nagaland          |                   2300 |
| Himachal Pradesh  |                   1000 |
| Mizoram           |                    850 |
| Arunachal Pradesh |                    600 |
| Meghalaya         |                    500 |
| Uttaranchal       |                    500 |
| Manipur           |                    250 |
| Sikkim            |                    200 |
| Total             |                 200000 |