Inferior quality tea mixed with superior variety to jack up profits

Amritsar, January 8

Many unscrupulous traders are allegedly resorting to blending of inferior-quality tea while selling it loose to jack up their profits. Medical experts warn that it may cause health problems. 

A health practitioner Hari Om Goel said the practice of blending inferior-quality tea and selling it by citing it as good quality tea could entice unscrupulous traders as they could make more money. However, it puts health of people at risk, he said, adding that many traders pack tea leaves of a different quality in a glitzy packet to woo customers. 

Traders said on condition of anonymity that the malpractice was more common among traders who sell open tea to consumers settled in far-flung areas. 

In order to increase profit in the absence of quality check, such traders resort to this unhealthy practice. 

They maintained that these traders keep the quantum of blending depending upon the amount of the entire produce to be sold off. For instance, 2 kg of inferior blending in a packet of 10 kg was difficult to detect but jacked up profits in an easy way. 

Dr Shiv Karan Singh Kahlon, District Health Officer, said the department was aware of this malpractice and samples were taken to find the erring traders. He said his department also received complaints of blending of reused tea after drying it up in fresh tea and then selling it in the open market.

He specified that all traders dealing in food in any capacity, including selling tea, came under the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006. Under the Act, it was mandatory for all these traders to obtain licences and register their units so that the government could ensure good quality of food being served and sold.

The Act says that food units having an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh only are to get registered with the District Health Department and they are to pay annual registeration of Rs 100. For those units having a turnover of above Rs 12 lakh, it is mandatory to get licences. 

The deadline to get registered and obtain licences is scheduled to end in February. So far only 6,000 food units were registered with the department while 650 obtained licences in the district.