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A delegation of small tea growers met the Mozambique envoy on Tuesday to explore the scope of developing small tea farming in that country.
The delegation led by Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, President, Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Association, met Jose Maria Morais, Mozambique’s High Commissioner in India and Vincent Paulo C Chihale, Commercial Counsellor.
There are 39,000 hectares of old tea plantations in Mozambique, out of which only 6,000 acres are currently under private ownership. Mozambique needs expertise and investment to boost tea production.
The CISTA delegation explained to the Mozambique envoy the growth of small tea farming in India – nearly two lakh small growers accounting for an estimated 35 per cent of the country’s total tea production.
In many tea growing states, small tea growers have formed self-help groups to upgrade themselves and cooperatives for sustainable green leaf trade. The small tea growers thus act as catalysts in bringing about socio-economic change in rural areas. The delegation also pointed out how Tea Board of India has been systematically extending support to small growers since the 10th Plan, more recently with the constitution of a Small Tea Growers Development Directorate which has initiated move to upgrade small growers from mere green leaf producers to made tea producers also.
CISTA invited Morais to visit some of the successful small tea growing farms in Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
>santanu.sanyal@thehindu.co.in
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