Udhagamandalam: As many as 30 tea factories have been issued show cause notices for
allegedly deviating from various norms set by the Tea Board.

Stating this at Coonoor on Wednesday,the Executive Director,Tea Board (South) Dr.M.Balaji  pointed out that the Zonal office of the Tea Board in Coonoorr has been implementing various schemes for  big and small tea growers for activities relating to Re-plantation, Rejuvenation Pruning, manufacture of Orthodox and Green tea etc.  The Tea Board is taking concerted efforts to ensure  higher price realization for the made tea in the market and remunerative price for the green leaf supplied to the factories by the  small farmers/growers.

In addition monthly advisories are also being issued to the small tea growers with regard to the adoption of standard farming practices and
plucking standards. Further periodical inspections at various tea factories across Southern Zone including estate factories are  being undertaken to monitor the compliance of quality and hygiene standards set by the Tea Board,Dr.Balaji added.

As part of this a team of officials carried out inspections in  43 estate  tea factories in the Nilgiris during  November and December 2020.  Consequent to these inspections, show cause notices were issued to 30   factories for violation of norms like  failure to procure
quality tea leaf, poor hygiene standards, non-maintenance of statutory records,  holding of  tea waste beyond permissible level, procurement
of bought leaf beyond the permissible limit, purchase of  teas from other factories,non adherence to Price Sharing Formula etc.

Dr.Balaji said that the factories have been given statutory time to reply to the notice and action would be taken after receipt of their
replies as per the provisions laid out in the Tea (Marketing) Control Order 2003 and Tea Waste (Control) Order 1959.