GUWAHATI, Jan 1 — The Consultative Committee of Plantation Association (CCPA) move to block supply of low-quality end-season tea to the market came a cropper as hardly 30 per cent of tea gardens in both Brahmaputra and Barak valleys complied with its directive to stop plucking from December 1 and 7 respectively. The CCPA in November last year requested tea garden of Brahmaputra and Barak valleys as well as those from Dooars region to stop plucking in advance during December first week so that declining prices in the tea market could be arrested by avoiding flow of volumes of low-quality end-season, product to the auction market.
However, many gardens in the State including those owned by reputed tea companies having large gardens in Upper Assam areas did not bother to comply with the CCPA request as they were out to mop up as much cash from the market as possible in a season which witnessed alarming decline in the tea prices, according to industry sources based in Upper Assam areas. It may be mentioned that all the tea gardens in Assam, barring small tea gardens, are subscribers to any one of the five tea plantation associations including Indian Tea Association, Tea Association of India, Assam Tea Planters’ Association.
The CCPA had initiated the move to reduce volume of end-season production as the market was flooded with excess tea in view of rising production. Sources informed that all-India tea production during January to October, 2001 was up almost three million kgs compared to production in the corresponding period in the previous year. However Assam tea production during the same period was down by two million kgs compared to production in the corresponding period in the previous year. Regarding the concern in the tea industry over fall in tea prices during this season, sources informed that the situation was not as alarming as made out to be. The concern among the planters was not because they had to sell their product at a loss, it was because there was substantial loss of profit’ due to fall in tea prices this season.