Tea Board announces Rs 664 crore project to support stakeholders with field-to-cups approach

Guwahati: The Tea Board of India on Thursday announced a Rs 664.09 crore project in order to support the stakeholders with a focus on increasing domestic consumption, better price realisation and exports by adopting a field-to-cups approach.

A statement issued by the board said under the project, Tea Development and Promotion Scheme, stakeholders would be facilitated in plantation development, quality upgradation, tea promotion and market support, technological intervention, research and development, welfare and capacity building measures.

"Through these scheme components, it is envisaged that right from the field to cup, every aspect of the tea industry would be touched upon and lead to holistic development," it said.

The scheme would be implemented between 2023-24 and 2025-26.

Some of the components of the project include support in replanation, assistance for raising nursery, setting up of new mini tea unit by self-help-groups, farmers producers companies for production of orthodox, green and speciality tea, annual awards for SHGs, FPOs, small tea growers, organic certification and conversion, ensuring quality checks, drawing and testing of tea sample, international brand promotion, supporting Indian origin tea cafes for diversifying to international markets.

The scheme comes amid serious concerns expressed by both big and small tea growers, estate and factory owners and traders about a bleak future of the industry mainly due to drop in production due to adverse impact of the weather, drop in prices, exports and increase in production costs.

The Tea Association of India recently said the tea industry in Assam and Bengal was staring at a bleak future and called for more support to the stakeholders to save the industry and livelihoods of lakhs of people.

India produces over 80 per cent of tea globally but according to a survey conducted by the Tea Board, domestic consumption has still remained low compared to other countries.