North Bengal small tea growers seek Kenya-style devpt authority
Times of India | 19 November 2025
Jalpaiguri: Small tea growers in north Bengal sought a tea development authority to be set up on the lines of the Kenyan model during a workshop in Jalpaiguri on Tuesday. They have also demanded designated factories and command areas like in Kenya.
"In Kenya, green leaves, after being plucked, are processed in designated factories meant for a specific area. No leaf is allowed in factories beyond that area. This is done to maintain a steady quality in the tea produced," said Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, president of Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers' Association .
"Here there is no such bar. Green leaves from Assam come to Jalpaiguri factories and by the time they are processed, the leaves ferment, hampering the quality of tea produced. This in turn fetches low price of the final yield," he added.
Small tea growers contribute over 52% of India's annual tea production. According to figures available, presently there are more than 60,000 small tea gardens in North Bengal alone.