Small Tea Cultivation in India and the Future Ahead: A Case Study from West Bengal Region
Tea is called as the ‘Queen of Beverage’ and is consumed most after water. India is the largest producer and consumer of tea in the world and the tea industry provides employment for more than 2.5 million farmers and workers. In India, tea industry is one of the oldest agro-based well-organized industries. Traditionally, one of the important and profitable industries contributes big amount to the national income. Till date, it is bearing its heritage.
Tea industry in India comprises of two components –Set Tea Estates; and Small Tea Growers (STGs). Set tea estates or Estate Gardens are those having an area of plantation beyond 10–12 hectares or 25 acres of land and also having factory of their own within the premises of plantation. On the other hand, STGs means those having an area of plantation within 10–12 hectares or 25 acres of land. STGs do not possess own factory for processing tea from the leaves and have to depend on the bought leaf factories and others. Small tea growers’ contribution in India’s total tea production is 35%.
The small tea plantation has been considered a major source of livelihood and employment for the population of the regional economies. It is located in the backward and rural regions of the major districts of Jalpaiguri, Alipore Duar, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpore and Darjeeling in West Bengal.....
Origin and Growth of Small Tea Plantation
The concept of small tea cultivation came into existence when Kenya (1950’s) had decided to produce tea for export. The experiment taken by Kenya (1950’s) succeeded and a modern trend of small tea holders or growers arose in developing and developed countries to produce cash crop like tea. Since then there was a steady shift in tea cultivation from big plantation to smallholdings. However, in India the emergence of Small Tea Plantations is of very recent...........
From Paddy, Pineapple, Wheat, Potato, Jute to Small Tea Cultivation
In the late 1980s, farmers of the northern part of West Bengal resorted to tea cultivation. The farmers in this region earlier engaged in the cultivation of pineapple (North Dinajpore and few parts of Jalpaiguri as well as Darjeeling), wheat, potato, jute and paddy randomly across the entire Dooars. Due to paucity of available markets, high cost of cultivation, lack of the genuine prices of the product and on the other hand, the pressure of the moneylenders made them vulnerable and a number of farmers every year committed suicide...........
Entrepreneurship and Employment Opportunities in Small Tea Cultivation
Entrepreneur is an economic agent who plays an important role in the economic development of country. For the purpose of economic development, establishment of small business or small manufacturing units are important in a developing country like India. It provides opportunities for the unemployed youth. It requires low capital and low level of barriers to entry and even less competition. In the northern part of the Bengal, besides unemployment the economy is replete with many other problems like poverty, illiteracy, poor health, etc..............
Associations and Confederations
The apex body of growers in West Bengal is the United Forum of Small Tea Growers’ Associations (UFSTGA). It is a federation of eight associations in Uttar Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and the Kishanganj District of Bihar. These are:
1. Jalpaiguri Jela Khudro Cha Chasi Samiti
2. Uttar Banga Khudra Prantik Chasi Samiti
3. Uttar Dinajpur Small Tea Growers’ Welfare Association
4. ............
Formation of Small Tea Grower Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
To protect and promote the STGs in India the Tea Board of India under the Tenth Plan Program (2002- 2007) introduced the idea of formation of Self-Help Groups among STGs. Actually, the Tea Board was late to realize regarding the contribution of STGs in tea industry in India has made some space in policy and planning..............
The Present Problems
Price fluctuation of green tea leaves
As per the common features of the small tea cultivation is that the growers do not possess factories of their own and they have to depend mainly on the Bought Leaf Factory (BLFs), Estate Factories and fewer on the SHGs factory of STGs, to sell their green tea leaves.............
Exploitation by the Intermediaries
As the price of the green leaves fluctuates over the year and the non-members of the growers association suffer a lot because of the intermediaries..........
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The Problems may Arise in Future
Oversupply or limit in processing capacity of green leaves
The present practices is that the processing factories set the limits on the supply of the quantity of green tea leaves during peak season adding to the woes of the STGs. The processing units (both the estates and BLFs) fixed a maximum amount to be transported and purchased for every ‘carrier’ and refuse to take any extra...........
Demand and Supply of Efficient Labor
It was observed that most of the small tea growing areas face labor shortages during peak seasons. It is expected that the mushroom growing new plantations will be confronted with the source of work force leaves beyond the pre-determined quantity.........
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Exhibits
Exhibit I: State-wise Number of Small Growers Registered with the Tea Board of India
Exhibit II: Various Problems Faced by the STGs
Exhibit III: Average Price of Green Leaves (2011-2015) (in INR)
