DEVELOPMENT OF TEA IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Agriculture)

Context: The Green Leaf Price Monitoring Committee, which monitors the average green leaf price payable to small tea growers, did not meet even once in 10 out of 18 tea growing districts in Assam in the 2016-17 to 2020-21 period, an audit by Comptroller and Auditor General of India has revealed. 

• The report, Role of Tea Board India in the Development of tea in India, was tabled in the Parliament on August 8, 2023.

Key Points

• Though the Tea Act, 1953 authorised the Board to inspect the quality of tea, factories were not adequately inspected during 2016-17 to 2020-21.
• It also found the Tea Board disbursed subsidy amounting to Rs 12.87 crore  under various schemes, without adhering to the guidelines.
• Tea Marketing Control (Amendment) Order, 2015 provides for the constitution of the Green Leaf Price Monitoring Committee in each tea growing district. 
• The committee must monitor the average green leaf price payable to small tea growers.
• Meetings of the Committee should be conducted as stipulated in the Tea Marketing Control Order to protect the interests of small tea growers and ensure payment of the minimum benchmark price of green leaves.