GUWAHATI: Countering allegation that small tea growers (STGs) produce low quality tea leaves, the North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) said that STGs in the state have been able to work independently and account for about 30 per cent of the total tea production in the country.
Reacting to the suggestion given by Indian Tea Association (ITA) in Kolkata, that STGs should be attached to factories which have good manufacturing practices as followed in Kenya, NETA chairman Bidyananda Barkakoty said, «The Small Tea Growers Directorate in Dibrugarh has been established solely to look after the interests of the STGs and provide technical assistance to factories which buy green leaves from them.»
He also added,»It is too premature to advise that a particular STG should be attached to a particular factory and most of these factories use the same machines and adopt the same manufacturing practices like any organized sector.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Small-tea-growers-not-to-be-attached-with-factories/articleshow/20872247.cms
Small tea growers not to be attached with factories
