Provide declaration of chemicals used in growing tea: Tea Board of India

JORHAT: The Tea Board of India today asked small tea growers of Assam to provide signed declaration of chemicals used for growing tea to factories for gauging whether they are in adherence with the body's prescribed Plant Protection Code.

"The code will make Indian tea a safer and healthier drink and improve its competitiveness amongst tea farms and compliance with national regulations and international sustainability standards," Dipankar Mukherjee, TBI's North East Zonal Executive Director told the media.

Plant Protection Code (PPC) is a comprehensive guideline for safe use of plant protection formulation in the country's tea plantation and industry notified by the Tea Board.

An important component of the code is safe use of plant protection products and adherence to safety standard for safer, healthier and more environmental-friendly teas.

"The aim of plant protection code is to achieve sustainability through good agricultural practices including integrated pest management, promotion of alternative control strategies to gradually reduce the dependence on chemicals," Mukherjee said.

He also asked the bought leaf factories to discharge their role and responsibility while buying tea leaves from small tea growers as there are over 78,000 registered small tea growers across Assam alone who play a very important role in the state's economic scenario.

"TBI has initiated massive awareness campaign through field level workshop, bulk SMS, putting up banners, distribution of booklets and pamphlets in local languages to make the industry's stake holders aware of the guidelines and help them with safe and proper use of recommended plant protection formulation," Mukherjee added.

PPC was implemented in the tea industry from January 1 this year and the list of products permitted for use has been prepared by Central Insecticides Board of India.