JOIN USNew policy plans to bring Assam tea to boutiques in metro cities, state’s tourist centres
Metro cities across the country may soon have tea boutiques selling Assam tea, as a new policy has proposed a similar platform to support the beleaguered industry.
The new policy has also proposed financial aid to opening of such tea boutiques at major tourist centres in Assam.
The draft Assam Tea Policy 2022 has proposed to offer 50 per cent support on capital investment with a ceiling of Rs 40 lakh for opening tea boutiques in major cities of the country. The policy also proposed to provide 50 per cent support on capital investment, of up to Rs 20 lakh, for similar boutiques within Assam.
The policy also suggested a subsidy of 75 per cent on the cost of quality certification and for getting organic certification. The proposal also includes 25 per cent support for replacement of old and worn-out machineries, for procurement of additional machineries for quality improvement, and expansion of capacity for the existing tea factories.
It also proposed to provide free stalls at Assam government pavilions in trade fairs and exhibitions, support in export of tea from Assam and support in organising seminars, conferences, organising annual festival on International Tea Day (May 21).
Various subsidies and support for small tea growers, which contributes nearly 40 per cent of Assam’s tea production at present, was also proposed in the draft policy.
The contents of the draft tea policy were shared among various industry stakeholders at a meeting on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by Assam industry and commerce minister Bimal Bora in Guwahati.
Speaking at the meeting, P K Bhattacharjee, Secretary General, Tea Association of India, stated that the most important task before the Assam tea industry was to increase the per capita consumption of tea. “Since Assam contributes more than 50 per cent of the country’s tea production, the responsibility to upscale the quantum of consumption therefore weighs heavily on the Assam tea industry and there is a need for a proactive policy towards this objective,” he said, lauding most of the proposals in the draft policy.
Dinesh Bihani, Secretary, Guwahati Tea Buyers’ Association, sought steps to support tea buyers in setting up packaging and blending units in Assam in order to encourage investment and create employment.
With more than 800 big gardens, and nearly 1.5 lakh small gardens (up to 10 hectares), Assam grows more than 50 per cent of the country’s tea production. However, stagnant prices since 2014 and rising cost of production has left the industry players worried. The new policy, therefore, is seen as a push to the beleaguered industry.