Tue Jan 28 20:54:05 UTC 2025: **West Bengal Small Tea Growers Protest Tea Board’s Decision, Seek Govt. Intervention**
Kolkata, Jan 29, 2025 – The Small Tea Growers Association of Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, has voiced strong opposition to a recent Tea Board decision regarding the last plucking date and the free entry of Nepalese tea. The association, representing over 64% of the state’s tea production, claims the decision has caused significant financial losses to small growers, many of whom are from marginalized communities.
The growers accuse the Tea Board of failing to consult with Bengal producers before setting an early closure date for tea plucking in 2024, a move they say resulted in a loss of nearly 1000 crore rupees in potential GST revenue for the state government. They also criticize the impact of freely imported Nepalese tea, particularly affecting Darjeeling, Dooars, and Terai tea production. The association highlights the added burden of climate change on tea cultivation and their inability to access crucial government support schemes like irrigation and crop insurance.
In a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the association urged an investigation into the Tea Board’s decision and requested government intervention to protect the livelihoods of over 15 lakh people directly or indirectly employed in small tea cultivation. They propose extending the plucking season to December 31st annually, securing a fair price for green tea leaves through the Union Commerce Ministry and Tea Board, and including tea growers in existing agricultural support schemes. The association also emphasized the severe financial hardship faced by growers, who have been without income for two months and are forced to sell their produce below cost.
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