Tea Assn. urges Govt. to monitor imports

By Our Staff Reporter

CALCUTTA, JAN. 14. Perturbed by the fall in prices even in the face of a decline in production, the Indian Tea Association has urged the Government to monitor tea imports and make those figures available to the industry regularly. ``There has been rumours about substantial imports of tea but accurate information is unfortunately not yet available''.

The chairman's speech at the annual general meeting of ITA's Terai branch in the state, circulated here today also expressed doubts on the estimated growth in domestic consumption, as projected by Indian Institute of Management (IIM). ``The domestic demand, considered to be increasing at the rate of 2-3 per cent a year, may no longer hold good in the competitive beverage market''.

The association described the Tea Marketing Control Order as an ``anachronism in the present liberalised environment'' and urged for its immediate withdrawal. The order compels the producer to sell 75 per cent of the produce through auction system. The present auction norms of drawing large quantities of tea for distribution of `free trade samples' has also been criticised.

Referring its agreement to employ 10,000 additional workers in the state, following a 12 day long strike and ``at a time when every other industry is looking for downsizing'', the ITA said the garden-wise allocation of the additional workforce ``is almost finalised''.

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Section  : Business
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