Small tea growers stage protest in Coonoor

COIMBATORE Small tea growers in the Nilgiris staged a fast protest in Coonoor on Wednesday seeking h

Small tea growers in the Nilgiris staged a fast protest in Coonoor on Wednesday seeking higher price for green tea leaves.

Malai Mavatta Siru Vivasaigal Nala Sangam president Thumboor I. Bhojan said the small tea growers are getting ₹12 to ₹13 for a kg of green tea leaves. Their demand is ₹30 a kg (minimum support price) to meet the production expenses. There are about 15,000 small farmers in the Nilgiris, he said.

In a petition submitted to the Tea Board India in Coonoor on Wednesday, the association said the farmers are getting very low prices for green leaves and are not paid the rates fixed by the Tea Board and the district administration. One reason for the reduction in prices is adulteration and the officials should conduct checks at check-posts, it said.

The Board should take action on factories that are into adulteration and such units should be sealed, it said.

The price of green leaves went to more than ₹30 a kg and that made teas were sold for more than ₹200 a kg. It has dropped again. So, the base price for made teas should be fixed at ₹150 a kg and tea should be distributed through PDS outlets, it said.