HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, Aug 8: To strengthen the small tea growers of the north-east, the North East Confederation of Small Tea Growers Association (NECSTGA), an umbrella organisation, was recently formed in Golaghat.
Addressing a press conference, Diganta Phukan, president of NECSTGA, said, “It is an umbrella organisation for all small tea growers of the north-east. It was formed in Golaghat on June 3, 2024, and we recently received our registration. We have formed a 23-member strong executive committee to oversee the work of the organisation.”
“Through our platform, small tea growers can raise their issues with the government, and we will all work together to solve the problems faced by small tea growers. Our main aim is the expansion of small tea growers in the north-east and sustainable development on a priority basis,” Phukan said.
He further added, “We are not a parent organisation. We will unite all the small tea growers on one platform and work together to solve their problems. Small tea growers emerged in Assam in 1978, and since then, they have been working to strengthen the state’s economy. Many unemployed youths are engaged in the small tea growing sector to earn their livelihood.”
“The tea industry has been facing numerous challenges, but the major problems are climate change and the use of banned chemicals in tea. Due to climate change, the tea sector in the north-east has been adversely affected, and the use of banned chemicals is also hampering the tea crop. We will address all these issues and urge the government to take necessary actions to solve the problems,” said Binod Borgohain, general secretary of NECSTGA.
Borgohain also stated, “We demand that tea be declared the national drink and that Dibrugarh be declared the Tea City with an auction centre.”
He added, “The Tea Board of India head office should be in Guwahati instead of Kolkata, and Toklai should be declared a national asset with a tea hub and tea tourism centre.”
