Assam Tea Farmers Alert Government: Influx of Low-Quality Foreign Teas Threatens India’s Market!

Guwahati: On International Tea Day, small tea growers in Assam gathered to highlight their struggles and seek government support. They expressed concern over low-quality tea flooding the Indian market from countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. This competition makes it hard for local growers to get fair prices for their tea.

Lakhi Bharali, a veteran in the industry, emphasized the importance of protecting Assam’s tea growers. He pointed out that while there are about 1.4 lakh small growers in Assam, they provide over half of the tea leaves used by roughly 500 local factories. Bharali urged the government to restrict imports of inferior tea.

“If the market is saturated with low-quality tea, our local growers suffer,” he said. His goal is to keep Assam’s tea synonymous with quality. Bharali also mentioned the challenges of organic farming: “We aim for chemical-free tea, but if it’s enforced for everyone, it could hurt small producers.”

According to a recent report from the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry, a small tea grower manages a garden of about 10-12 hectares. Data from the Tea Board reveals that there are nearly 248,000 small tea growers in India, responsible for over half of the nation’s tea production. Assam alone has around 133,600 growers, contributing a notable share to the state’s tea output.

Bharali shared that a small grower can earn between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 annually from one bigha of land, a modest income that can be boosted with proper support. Rajiv Kardang, another small tea grower, shared insights from his life near Biswanath. He noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many believed that tea offered some relief, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Kardang voiced the frustrations of his peers, saying, “We supply high-quality tea leaves but often don’t receive fair compensation.” He called on the government to provide subsidized fertilizers to help improve their yield, adding that with support, they could double their production.

International Tea Day

Celebrated on May 21st, International Tea Day highlights the immense role tea plays in many cultures and economies. The day began in 2005 in New Delhi, but in 2015, India proposed it be recognized worldwide by the United Nations. This global acknowledgment underscores the start of the tea production season in many regions.

In conclusion, as the tea industry celebrates its significance, it also sheds light on the need for greater support for small growers, who help keep this cherished tradition alive. Ensuring their success is vital for both the industry’s health and the quality of tea enjoyed worldwide.

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INTERNATIONAL TEA DAY, SMALL TEA GROWERS STRUGGLE, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IN TEA, ASSAM TEA, ASSAM AND INDIAN TEA DEPRIVED OF FAIR PRICE GROWERS WANT GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO DOUBLE THE PRODUCTION