Govt. to sell loss-making tea unit

JORHAT (Assam), SEPT 9. The Assam Government will sell the loss- making state-owned Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL), the Chief Minister, Mr. Tarun Gogoi, said.

``We are left with no option but to sell the corporation and a decision to this effect was taken after consulting the labour union Assam Cha Mazdoor Sangh recently,'' Mr. Gogoi told reporters here last night.

He said further discussions on the issue would be held soon and the corporation would then be handed over to a private party.

The Chief Minister said that big, small and medium sector gardens were facing serious financial crisis as the cost of production had substantially gone up while the price realisation in both international and domestic markets had gone down alarmingly.

``Earlier, Assam tea had monopoly in the market but now Sri Lankan and Kenyan tea are available in less price and as such it was high time that the tea industry lay stress on research so that good quality of tea can be produced at a lower rate,'' Mr. Gogoi said.

The Chief Minister arrived here yesterday to campaign for the byelections to the Titabor Assembly constituency which was vacated by his brother, Mr. Dip Gogoi, from where he is contesting for the Sept. 20 bypolls.

- PTI

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