Tea price drop protest - Small growers say factories buy leaves at low rate

The small tea growers inside the Tea Board's office in Jalpaiguri on Friday. Picture by Biplab Basak

TT, Jalpaiguri, Sept. 8: A group of small tea growers demonstrated in front of the office of the Tea Board of India here today to protest against alleged drop in prices of tealeaves.

The growers covered their mouths with black clothes and took up their grievances with Amrita Chakraborty, an assistant director of the Tea Board, in her office and demanded immediate intervention of the Board on the issue.

"The Tea Board fixes the base price of tealeaves every month. As per the recent directive of the board, it has been mentioned that the minimum price of tealeaves will be Rs 13. But most bought leaf factories (which buy tealeaves from growers) are, however, paying us only Rs 7-8 per a kilo of leaves. The cost of production these days is around Rs 13," said Bijoygopal Chakraborty, the general secretary of the Jalpaiguri Zilla Kshudra Cha Chashi Samiti.

In Jalpaiguri district, there are around 10,000 small tea growers.

Chakraborty also alleged that the BLFs were buying leaves from tea estates and that was why an artificial imbalance had been created between demand and supply.

"A section of tea estates in the district sells tealeaves to BLFs instead of processing them in their own factories. This is why the BLFs are not ready to pay us the minimum price that can at least cover the cost of production," he said.

The Tea Board, the cultivators said, should intervene in the issue.

"The Tea Board is giving impetus to the growth of small tea sector. It has opened a separate directorate, new offices and appointed officials for the small growers. If the board and officials are silent when the growers are suffering losses, what is the use of expanding the infrastructure?" asked a grower.

As they are suffering losses, the growers are also sceptical as to whether they would be able to pay bonus to workers ahead of Durga Puja.

"The festive season is ahead and if the situation does not improve, we would be forced to launch a demonstration and a hunger strike in front of the Tea Board's office," said Chakraborty.

The assistant director of the Tea Board said: "We will soon speak to the BLFs to ensure that tea growers get proper prices. Otherwise, we would take further steps."