Small tea growers' produced 685.08 mn kg in 2019

Contribution of small tea growers (STG) in the overall production of the beverage touched 685.08 million kg in the calendar year 2019 on a total production volume of 1389.70 million kg.

In 2018, the production volume of STGs was 646.37 million kg on a total production volume of 1338.63 million kg.

For the organised big growers, the production volumes in 2018 and 2019 were 692.26 million kg and 704.62 million kg respectively, according to Tea Board data.

While in 2018, the percentage contribution of STGs was 48.29 per cent, it increased to 49 per cent in 2019.

President of Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Association (CISTA) Bijoy Gopal Chakrabarty told PTI that the prime reason for the increased production of STGs is that bushes are young and the yields as high as compared to big growers.

He said that the area of tea gardens owned by the STGs are very small compared to big growers which enables them to take proper care of planting activity and high yield clones are used.

STGs have also sought a dedicated fund from the Commerce ministry for helping promotion of exports of the produce.

"We hope by 2020, the production volumes of STGs will surpass that of the big growers", he said.