GUWAHATI: Assam government has constituted a committee to initiate efforts for branding of ‘Assam Tea’ and GI tag for the same. The step is being taken at the backdrop of low price realisation for Assam Tea due to lack of branding.
Disclosing this following a ‘tea dialogue’ with leading tea companies and tea growers’ associations of the state, Assam Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said, “We have formed a committee today, under the chairmanship of the additional chief secretary of Industries and Commerce department and with members from all leading tea companies and associations, which will meet immediately to discuss on the matter of branding Assam Tea.”
“At present, packeters are benefiting by using their own brands to sell tea manufactured in Assam. The committee will look for means to develop a brand of Assam Tea, along with a special logo. We will also be proposing for GI tag for Assam Tea, though we have GI tag for Orthodox Tea at present,” he added.
Moreover, the committee the will also look for ways to improve the demand for Assam Tea as well to ensure that price realisation is better. The government, however, has not set any timeframe for the panel to submit its report.
He pointed that though 80% of Assam tea sells in the domestic market, the per capita consumption of tea has remained low in the country compared to other tea-drinking nations.
Refusing to blame any government agency for failing in its mandate to promote tea consumption in the local market, Patowary said, “It is not wise to put the blame on others. We will be working ourselves to promote tea as a preferred beverage among the masses.”
Assam has a surplus production of 80 million kg tea this year, with the total production being 650 million kg (approximately) and the excess supply has further pushed downward the already-low prices for Assam tea.
“This is a serious problem in our hands at this moment. A Cabinet sub-committee already in place to deal with such issues and will meet on Monday to evolve a means to tide over the immediate crisis,” the minister said.
On other problems facing the tea industry at the moment as discussed in Saturday’s ‘tea dialogue’, Patowary said the low productivity of the tea workers was an issue flagged by the tea companies.
Against production of 6 kg per worker per annum in South India, it was 2.50 kg per worker per annum in Assam.
The minister clarified that this figure is for the big tea gardens of the state, numbering around 800.
Over one lakh small tea growers in the state account for 48% of the total tea of produced in the state. Assam produced 52% of total tea produced in the country.