Micro and small tea growers in the Nilgiris have opposed the plan by Indcoserve to invest ₹ 70 crore and upgrade its tea factories.
Hubbathalai N. Sivan, president of the Nilgiris Nelikolu Micro and Small Tea Growers’ and Farmers Development (NSTF) Society, said the Indcoserve has 15 factories that can produce four crore kg of made teas annually. However, the current production is just about two crore kg. Almost 25,000 small and micro farmers in the Nilgiris supply green leaves to these factories.
"The Indcoserve is selling teas at ₹80 to ₹90 a kg in the market but paying just about ₹15 for a kg of leaves to the farmers," he said.
According to Mr. Sivan, the farmers should get better prices to improve the quality of the leaves they supply. Only then will the quality of teas produced by Indcoserve improve the it can realise better prices.
"Why should they (Indcoserve) invest in modernising and upgrading production capacities now when they are not using fully the existing capacity," he asked.
The government should either take steps so that the small farmers get higher prices or give the factories to the farmers to make the teas. Indcoserve can focus on marketing the teas, he demanded.
