The Hindu Business Line : Plea to restructure tea auction system

In a press statement issued by Mr Samir Roy, General Secretary of West Bengal Cha Mazdoor Sabha, a trade union affiliated to Hind Mazdoor Sabha, and a member of the Tea Board, the point was made that the Tea Board should be directed to adhere to the suggestions made by the consultancy firm, A.F. Ferguson.

``We feel that the Tea Marketing Control Order needs to be reviewed and that there is a strong case for imposing a condition of sale of minimum 75 per cent of the tea through the auction system if not 100 per cent'', Mr Roy stated.

According to him, this move would put a check on the entrance of inferior quality tea into the market and would also help small growers in getting a reasonable price for their green leaves as there would be more transparency in the system.

He felt that the tea industry should lay more focus on exports as this would act as a corrective step towards the downward pressures on the tea prices.

The association also urged the Government to set up a mechanism for fixing the green leaf price. According to him, there is no transparency in the fixing of green leaf prices in North Bengal.

In this context, Mr Roy felt that the small growers and bought leaf factories should be brought under some sort of a regulatory frame work to ensure regular production and quality maintenance.

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