Guwahati: The Tinsukia District Committee of the All Assam Small Tea Growers Association (AASTGA) has demanded a ban on illegal tea leaves from Arunachal Pradesh.

The association has demanded that the Assam government enact a law to stop the entry of raw tea leaves from the neighbouring state in the interest of the tea growers of Tinsukia. It has submitted a representation to the Assam chief minister in this regard.

According to AASTGA, 42% of green leaves fed into bought-leaf factories in the district are pilfered from Lower Dibang, Lohit and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh in 840 vehicles daily. The smugglers use the biometric cards of Assam tea growers.
There are 56,000 tea growers in Tinsukia district who support 1,180,000 family members through tea cultivation on 3,82,000 bighas of land. The production price of raw tea leaves in Tinsukia district is Rs 24.35 per kg.

In contrast, the price of raw tea leaves has increased from Rs 13 to Rs 16 per kg this year.

AASTGA claimed that almost all bought-leaf factory owners are outsiders thriving on the business at the expense of the local tea growers.

ALSO READ: NHPC signs MoU with RITES for Dibang project