India faces research funding gap in tea sector, says industry body

An association of the tea industry has claimed that there is a research funding gap in India for the development of the crop, with the country spending Rs 30 crore as compared to China, the largest producer of tea, investing over Rs 110 crore annually.

Tea Research Association (TRA), engaged in R&D of the sector, is facing serious funding challenges, its chairperson Nayantara Palchoudhuri said, calling for a greater industry participation to stave off the crisis.

"Over 50 per cent of the member entities are not contributing their dues, which has resulted in funding shortfalls," she said at the annual general meeting of TRA here on Friday.

"China, the largest producer of tea in the world, spends Rs 110 crore annually on the crop, while India invests only Rs 30 crore. There is a big research funding gap in India," she said.

The government and large estates should step up their contribution to tea research, she said.

To address the resource constraints, she called for setting up a committee to explore new revenue generation models, including property development and broadening TRA's membership base to small growers and bought-leaf factories.

TRA said that it has developed climate resilient clones, advancements in pest management, IoT-based monitoring and product diversification like speciality teas.