The Hindu : National : Geographical indicator status soon for Nilgiris tea

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 16, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Geographical indicator status soon for Nilgiris tea

Special Correspondent

Special logo will enhance value of produce: Jairam Ramesh

Udhagamandalam: The long-felt need of the tea planting community in the Nilgiris for a separate identity for the tea grown here will become a reality soon.

Participating in a programme organised by the Tea Board at Coonoor on Saturday to disburse educational stipends to wards of small tea growers, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said within four or five months orthodox tea produced in the Nilgiris would be provided with a geographical indicator like Darjeeling tea. The special logo would enhance the value of the produce.

Referring to the longstanding demand of the tea growers here for a floor price, Mr. Ramesh said an ad hoc committee constituted by the Commerce Ministry was studying the feasibility of fixing a minimum support price.

“However, my personal view is that a floor price is not the answer,” he said. Processing methods should improve and focus should be on better implementation of the price sharing formula.

Pointing out that the small growers formed a very important segment of the tea industry, he said there were 60,000 in the Nilgiris, 30,000 in Assam,12,000 in West Bengal and 10,000 in Kerala. The segment accounted for 40 per cent of the tea produced in Tamil Nadu. In course of time their role in the tea industry would be predominant. They should switch over to organic cultivation methods.

Efforts to promote tea

Stating that efforts were being made to promote South Indian tea in Egypt, Pakistan and Iran, he said the second International Tea Marketing festival would be held at Kochi in February 2009 and the third in Coimbatore in 2011. Underscoring the need to accord the highest priority to quality, Mr. Ramesh said the desire to produce good tea should come from within.

The educational stipend scheme for small growers was being implemented for the first time. Khadi Board Minister K. Ramachandran said manufacturers producing sub-standard tea cannot survive. The Nilgiris MP R. Prabhu cautioned that stringent action would be taken against those tarnishing the image of Nilgiris tea by resorting to adulteration.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National