The Tea Board of India, which is meeting in Coonoor on August 14, should deliberate on the price challenges faced by the small tea growers in the Nilgiris district and find a solution, said J.B. Subramanian, founder president of the Small and Tiny Tea Growers Association.
There are almost 65,000 families of small tea growers in the Nilgiris district who are struggling without getting either minimum support price or remunerative price for green tea leaves supplied to bought leaf tea factories, including the Industrial Cooperative Tea Factories and green tea leaf agents.
The cost of production of one kg green tea leaf now is more than ₹25. However, the small tea growers get just ₹14 a kg.
Many bought leaf tea factories, especially the Indcoserve factories, pay ₹2 to ₹4 a kg less than the price declared every month by the Tea Board. The growers have made multiple representations demanding action by the Executive Director, Tea Board, Coonoor, against the defaulting tea factories.
The Chairman of Tea Board should look into the grievances of the small tea growers in the Nilgiris district, and find out a feasible solution to the decades-long-pending problem, he said.
Published – August 10, 2025 06:51 pm IST
