KOLKATA: In the wake of the recent pesticide debate raised by a Greenpeace study, the Centre is planning to empower tea producers especially small tea growers (STG) with a new three-tier, real-time and web-based quality checking-cum-standardisation system which would help Indian tea industry maintain the global health food parameters of tea leaves and made-tea, said Rajni Ranjan Rashmi, additional secretary, Union ministry of commerce.
On the sidelines of the 131st annual general meeting (AGM) of Indian Tea Association (ITA) in Kolkata on Friday, Rashmi told TOI that the government would unveil two more laboratories in the eastern region in addition to its existing three Tea Research Association (TRA) labs in Kolkata, Guwahati and Siliguri. He asked the industry to bring in a greater element of transparency in the current e-auction process and a systemic change.
However, the additional Union commerce secretary has denied that this upcoming initiative has anything to do with the Greenpeace report claiming that the Indian tea contains some pesticides beyond permissible limit. He clarified that this new system is in a conceptual stage now and a natural progression to a process initiated by the Centre in March with a notification to the tea producers to maintain the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSI) norms.
The tree-tier system will consist of separate places for collection, process and analysis of tea leave samples. "This would mainly help small tea growers — who form over 30% of the Indian tea industry — produce quality tea. The STGs can then access the lab-test system through the small tea growers directorate. We need to give them a support system like this to upgrade quality and trace chemicals," added Rashmi.
According to him, a four-pronged strategy like in-depth study on mechanization, optimum handling of labour cost (which 60% of total expenditure), fresh investment and productive research on which both the government and the industry would have to work hand in hand. "As almost 80% of the existing research in the tea sector is carried out by TRA, industry has to pitch in with more research initiatives to handle effects of weather anomalies, drought and subsequent pest attacks to stabilize the quality," Rashmi said.
Speaking as the chief guest of the AGM, state finance, commerce and industries minister Amit Mitra reiterated that the sector must benchmark its practices and improve productivity. "The state government is extremely serious about tea. Tell me, what kind of assistance is needed from the government. We must brainstorm to aggressively compete with global giants in tea like China. An e-auction centre and a dry port in Siliguri is what the government can come up with to help the sector at the moment," said Mitra.
Outgoing ITA chairman A N Singh said, "Poor infrastructure in terms of power and road communication and non-availability of coal is becoming a major stumbling block in improving the competitiveness. Assam has been the most hit with around 23 million kg of YoY crop loss owing to the erratic rainfall in the past nine months. Darjeeling tea, whose prices are down by around Rs 75 per kg, are affected by unchecked infiltration of Nepal tea these days." Singh proposed for a pan-world e-auction facility for Darjeeling tea. He also welcomed A K Bhargava as the new chairman of ITA.
Tea Board chairman Siddharth, who was also present at the AGM, urged the industry to embrace all new sustainable tea production initiatives like Plant Protection Code (PPC) and TrusTea. "We cannot ignore them now. As the industry is not keeping pace with the demand, Indian tea has to strengthen its brand value by complying with all standards. If not, more questions will be raised," he said.
Welcoming new testing concept, Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, president of the small tea growers body Cista, told TOI: "As an integral part of the industry, we are responsible enough to meet the health standard. We, too, want to produce eco-friendly, healthier tea. We first need time and understanding on these issues like plant protection code or the three-tier testing system."
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