Tea Board Asks for Rs 1000 crore Financial Support for Next 5 Years

Saurav Pahari told the reporters after the AGM of the Indian Tea Association on Thursday that they have also asked for a subsidy for orthodox tea production which has a strong potential in the export industry.

He said tea exports had dropped but are now picking up. "However domestic production has not picked up as expected. India needs to build the brand image of tea and only as a commodity", he added.

While addressing the AGM he kept on emphasizing the use of technology and adopting better methods for good quality tea production, while the cost of production must be kept in mind for profitability.

ITA chairperson, Nayantara Pal Choudhuri said that tea exports for the year 2022 are growing at a good pace and are expected to touch 230 million kilograms in comparison to 196 million kilogrammes in the 2021 calendar year. She also talked about the cheap quality of tea invading the market without the mandatory FSSAI registration from some countries needs to be addressed immediately.

Choudhuri also spoke about the financial stress in the Darjeeling tea industry has been plagued by lower yields, higher input costs, and lower production due to static prices.

The purpose of the AGM was to bring together the tea planters of the nation for the development of the tea industry and make India the icon of global tea production and manufacturing.

In its five years plans, the ITA chairperson said that we are eyeing 350 million kilogrammes in the next 3-4 years, and this is only possible by producing and exporting more orthodox tea as its demand is increasing in foreign countries and the market is gaining momentum.

The Tea Board of India falls under the purview of the Union government through the Tea Act, of 1953. It aims to facilitate the cultivation, processing, and marketing of tea in India. The board help with financial assistance to the tea planters. Promotes research and development for better quality tea production. Helps STGs with various schemes and welfare programs. Provides technical support in the unorganized sector and also provides technical support to the cultivators.