Small tea growers demand subsidy

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Siliguri, Oct. 11: An umbrella body of small tea growers' associations has requested the Centre to introduce a subsidy of Rs 10 per each kilo of tea leaves and put in place a mechanism to ensure that prices do not drop below the cost of production.

"In the past few months, prices of tea leaves dropped in all major producing states like Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In some states, the price was even less than half of the cost of production. So, we have written to Union commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu, requesting his intervention," said Bijoygopal Chakraborty, the president of the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers' Associations.

The small tea growers put forward two demands - subsidy and a system to ensure fair prices for the produce.

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"We have urged the minister to provide a subsidy of Rs 10 per kilo. If the current situation persists, many growers will be forced to stop the production. We also want a nationwide mechanism to ensure that prices do not drop below the cost of production," said Chakraborty.

He said the small growers could get just Rs 9 per kg in Bengal since March though the cost of production was Rs 18.50.