GUWAHATI: With tea containing nicotine and heavy metals like arsenic making its entry into the market, the Tea Board of India has engaged the Tea Research Association (TRA) and the United Planters' Association of Southern India (UPASI) to study the source from where these substances come.
Tea planters feel that there is nothing to worry about this and only quality tea will make it to export markets.
While speaking on the awareness programme on Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, Tea Board research officer A Basu Majumdar said: "Nicotine content was reported from one of the tea consignments from Germany.
There are instances of heavy metal like arsenic being detected in tea." Even the base line survey done by the Assam government and Tea Board in 14 tea-producing districts has pointed that some growers use dangerous insecticides such as phenol and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane ( DDT) in the tea bushes to fight insecticides. However, this claim has not gone down well with the industry.
An exporter, who did not want to be quoted, said: "Several food items contain nicotine and other substances and European Union (EU) and other countries are working on it. There is nothing to worry about it."
KK Baheti, chief financial officer of McLeod Russel India, told ET: "Those countries which are importing teas from us follow the EU standards of maximum residue limit or have evolved their own stringent measures of laboratory test. Any tea that is not up to the standard will not find place in exporting countries." Tea Board chairman MGVK Bhanu said: "There might be some instance of inferior quality tea getting circulated. But the Tea Board has made it clear that quality parameters have to be complied with and only good tea reaches the market."
Majumdar said: "The basic problem is that till now no one knows from where these substances get in. The study, expected to be completed shortly, will tell us precisely whether these non-permissible substances make their entry in the farm, or during the processing or in the handling." The board has even decided to go for random sampling, like the way it did in the Siliguri Tea Auction Centre.
All Assam Small Tea Growers' Association (AASTGA) general secretary Karuna Mahanta said: "There must be a system of multiple checks as tea changes several hands and places before it finally reaches the market. Small growers comply with MRL." He added that those purchasing green leaf from small growers must ensure that at time of purchase, the leaves comply with these standards.
India produces around 1,150 million kilogrammes tea annually.
Tea planters feel that there is nothing to worry about this and only quality tea will make it to export markets.
While speaking on the awareness programme on Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, Tea Board research officer A Basu Majumdar said: "Nicotine content was reported from one of the tea consignments from Germany.
There are instances of heavy metal like arsenic being detected in tea." Even the base line survey done by the Assam government and Tea Board in 14 tea-producing districts has pointed that some growers use dangerous insecticides such as phenol and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane ( DDT) in the tea bushes to fight insecticides. However, this claim has not gone down well with the industry.
An exporter, who did not want to be quoted, said: "Several food items contain nicotine and other substances and European Union (EU) and other countries are working on it. There is nothing to worry about it."
KK Baheti, chief financial officer of McLeod Russel India, told ET: "Those countries which are importing teas from us follow the EU standards of maximum residue limit or have evolved their own stringent measures of laboratory test. Any tea that is not up to the standard will not find place in exporting countries." Tea Board chairman MGVK Bhanu said: "There might be some instance of inferior quality tea getting circulated. But the Tea Board has made it clear that quality parameters have to be complied with and only good tea reaches the market."
Majumdar said: "The basic problem is that till now no one knows from where these substances get in. The study, expected to be completed shortly, will tell us precisely whether these non-permissible substances make their entry in the farm, or during the processing or in the handling." The board has even decided to go for random sampling, like the way it did in the Siliguri Tea Auction Centre.
All Assam Small Tea Growers' Association (AASTGA) general secretary Karuna Mahanta said: "There must be a system of multiple checks as tea changes several hands and places before it finally reaches the market. Small growers comply with MRL." He added that those purchasing green leaf from small growers must ensure that at time of purchase, the leaves comply with these standards.
India produces around 1,150 million kilogrammes tea annually.
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