Building a Wider
Horizon With Labour
Due to the globalisation policy of the government and the import of tea from other countries, the South India tea market is facing critical problems, especially tribal STGs in Nilgiris. They are not following appropriate agricultural practices due to lack of awareness, fragmented holdings, poor economic condition, and low price realisation of green leaf. The present study is based on fieldwork carried out in the states of Assam (Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Sibsagar), West Bengal (Jalpaiguri and Uttar Dinajpur), Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris) and Kerala (Wayanad). The STGs in those states are unorganised and have limited market access for their produce. The study discusses the various practices in the cultivation of tea including Planting of tea and shade trees; Pest management; Use of fertilizer and manuring; Water and weed management; and Plucking standard, length of plucking round, and production.
