CISTA blames Nepal tea for industry plight

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, SILIGURI, 24 AUGUST 2022; Small Tea Growers in North Bengal have been selling their green tea leaves below the cost of product ion own he last five months, the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Association (CISTA) has said in a letter it has sent to Piyush Loyal, the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry.

With a view to substantiating its reasons, CISTA president Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty has not hesitated to blame tea coming in from Nepal, which is said to have grabbed the Indian market.

"If such a situation continues in the long run, the existence of small tea plantations will he a question mark," Mr Chakraborty has claimed.

Mr Chakraborty has further said: "The free entry of teas front Nepal into Indian territory is almost a threat to survival of the domestic tea market of both organised and unorganised sectors."

"It is absolutely irreconcilable and heartbreaking to see Nepal authorities imposing 40 percent duty on Indian tea where as teas from Nepal are allowed to enter India without any import duties," he added.

CISTA has also mentioned that the 171st report prepared by the Parliamentary Standing Committee has taken the matter seriously since a section of Indian tea t faders have allegedly been showcasing Nepal teas as Darjeeling tea in the domestic market.

Quoting the report, CISTA has urged Indian policy makers to review the Indo-Nepal treaty to incorporate stringent requirements for certificate of origin of such tea import.

"Besides strict vigilance based on the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006, the Indian government should impose import duty on Nepal -teas as per recommendation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee," Mr Chakraborty has said in the letter, a copy of which has been marked to Darjeeling's MP MP Raju Bista.

CCPA to hold first puja bonus meeting

The Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) is scheduled to hold it s first Puja Bonus meeting virtually for tea workers on 30 August by inviting all its members and at least 34 trade unions, the committee said today.

The Convener of the CCPA has issued a notice to this effect recently, while it has also informed the state government's labour department of the meeting.