Erratic weather, insect attack force small tea growers to opt for alternative farming

MP | 21 May 2023 | Jalpaiguri: With erratic weather coupled with disease, and insect attack resulting in huge losses, the small tea farmers of the Jalpaiguri district are moving towards alternative farming along with tea cultivation. 

On the occasion of International Tea Day, Jalpaiguri District Small Tea Cultivators Association conducted a seminar on how alternative garden crops can be grown in vacant land adjacent to tea gardens. 

Deputy Director of District Horticulture Department Pulak Kumar Mandal explained to the 70 odd small tea farmers of the district present in this seminar about garden crop production.

According to the information of the Jalpaiguri District Small Tea Growers Association, small tea is cultivated on 22 thousand hectares of land in the district. 25 thousand small tea farmers are involved in this work. 

Not only this, the small tea farmers of Jalpaiguri provide about 13 crore kg of tea of the total tea produced in the state every year. However, the small tea growers are facing a big blow owing to extreme weather and pest attacks. According to the association, last year the price of raw leaves was Rs. 33 to Rs 34 per kg. 

This time tea is being sold at Rs. 16 to Rs 17 per kg. Vijay Gopal Chakraborty, Secretary, Jalpaiguri District Small Tea Growers Association said: “Poduction cost of one kg of raw leaves is around Rs 20. 

It has to be sold at Rs 17 per kg. Minimum price of raw leaves should be at least Rs 25. Small tea farmers have realised that they cannot continue to depend only on tea.” 

Farmers are now taking up horticultural crop cultivation to open alternative income avenues. The seminar discussed how alternative crops can be cultivated in the vacant land next to the tea plantations. 

Vijay Gopal Chakraborty said: Pepper, guava, lemon, betel nut, bay leaf and dragon fruit are being given priority in this alternative cultivation.” 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/erratic-weather-insect-attack-force-small-tea-growers-to-opt-for-alternative-farming-519408