By Salonee Kulkarni
The Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association stormed the streets of Assam on Monday at Chowkidinghee, expressing their dissent over the unfair prices of green tea leaves. The association includes small tea growers from Upper Assam.
The protestors have blamed the Assam government and the Tea Board of India for their negligence in the ongoing crisis. The existing directives on fair pricing have not been complied with. The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Commerce Minister Bismal Bo-rah have been criticised because they have failed to follow the pricing mandates.
A rally was organised by AASTGA across districts in Assam. It included Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Charaideo, and Sivasagar districts. In the Dibrugarh district, the pricing mandate should follow rupees twenty-six per kg. The mandate is ignored by private tea factories, which sell the product at rupees twelve to fourteen per kg. The twelve rupee difference is a loss the farmers suffer.
Rubul Hatibaruah, the president of AASTGA’s Dibrugarh unit, voiced his concern about the loss incurred by the farmers because the cost of production is higher than the income generated by the farmers who sell their tea yield at lower costs. The president believes in possible solutions and intervention strategies. Penalising violators and adopting a set benchmark price.
Rubul expressed his dissent regarding the functioning of the Tea Board in Guwahati and its ineffectiveness. He expressed outrage by asserting that the Board will be sealed through massive protests if the situation doesn’t halt. He added that Assam tea contributes to the global tea market and is of great value to monopolistic firms, which, for their own advantage, can control the green leaves prices and reduce them. Hurting the livelihood of the small farmers.
According to reports by the General Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Dutta, the country’s total tea production is 52%. Despite the huge contribution, the ongoing corruption crisis means that the tea heritage in Assam won’t be able to thrive in the future.
A memorandum was addressed to the Chief Minister after the conclusion of the demonstration. A list of demands was put forward, which included benchmark prices, strict penalties, and a price-setting system to ensure transparency. Factory violations curbed and penalties applied for serious violations. Another state must prepare a mandate for supply check regulations, and the Tea Board governance must be separate from the Assam Government.