Indian Tea Deleation visits Kenya

Guwahati, Nov 16 (UNI) An 11-member delegation consisting of small tea growers from different parts of India along with Union Commerce Ministry and Tea Board officials recently visited Kenya to study the development and condition of small growers sector of that country.

Mr Chandrajit Saikia, Executive Director,Tea Board, North East Zone, led the delegation who visited tea growing areas, gardens, factories, Mombassa Tea Auction Centre, Kenyan Tea Boad, Kenyan Tea Development Agency (KTDA), Kenyan Tea Packers Ltd and all segments of Kenyan Tea Industry to study the small growers condition in that country and functioning of KTDA.

Mr Saikia told newsmen here today that the visit was a part of Union Government's policy of sending small tea growers delegtion to foreign tea producing countries so as to familiarise them with the practice adopted there.

He said ''Kenya is one of our main competitors in tea export. It has replaced India in many traditional tea importing countries.'' Kenya produces same variety of tea as India- CTC where as Sri Lanka tea is mainly Orthodox , Mr Saikia said.

He stated that the tea plantation both in estates as well as small growers sector are well maintained in Kenya . Plucking standard are excellent and they mostly follow two leaf and bud plucking only. Plantations are pest and disease free to a large extent compared to Indian plantation. As a result there is hardly any use of posticide reducing the cost of production and enhancing the quality, he said.

Mr Saikia further stated that plucking standard in India should improve. Transport and overall green leaf quality should be improved in particular in the small growers sector in India.

Agents or middle man should be removed. The Tea Board has launched several new schemes for the development and growth of tea industries in the country. The developoment schemes for self help group of tea board can help in this regard, he said. There are about 28 self help groups in Asom associated with the tea industries and the Tea Board has rendered assistance of Rs 2 crores, he stated.

The export of India tea has been reduced of late and several factos are responsible for that, he said and stated that factories should have proper manufacturing practice. '' It will be better if we have well-defined growers for each factory. But in that case total number of factories will have to be restricted. Some sort of consortium of all stakeholders can be former with initiative from the stakeholders themselves to look after all aspects of the Industry. The government can act as a catalyst in this regard, Mr Saikia added.

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