Union Minister of state for Commerce Jairam Ramesh, on Saturday, said that fixing of minimum support price (MSP) for tea alone would not be a permanent solution to the crisis being faced by small growers, particularly in Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.

The growers should concentrate on producing quality teas, organic and orthodox, which have good market in foreign countries, Mr Ramesh told reporters on the sidelines of a function organised to disburse education loan to children of small growers at Coonoor.

However, the government, which had already fixed MSP for two agricultural produces, would consider the issue of fixing floor prices for Nilgiris tea, he said adding that green tea leaves, which quoted Rs 4 per kg some four years ago, were fetching Rs 10 to Rs 14 per kg now. Saying that Self Help Groups in Kenya and Sri Lanka were engaged in producing and marketing tea, Mr Ramesh said that this could be emulated by SHGs in India also.

Earlier distributing Rs 30,000 each to 100 students to pursue higher education, organised by Tea Board of India, the minister said that this was for the first time that the board has taken such an initiative.