NILGIRI TEA - 1 ::

"IF IT IS NILGIRI TEA, IT IS SAFE TEA"

BY P S SUNDAR 

                           Consumers of Nilgiri tea will henceforth have the satisfaction of drinking not just quality tea but ‘legally safe tea’, thanks to Tea Board making it mandatory for auctioneers to allow only those teas coming with declaration on using safe ‘Plant Protection Formulation’ (PPF).

                           “Tea Board has made this declaration mandatory effective from January 1, 2015. We are currently educating the manufacturers and growers on the permissible pesticides and other inputs. Based on this, effective from January 22, all auctions at Coonoor Tea Trade Association will allow only those teas which come with self declaration by manufacturers”, Tea Board Executive Director R Ambalavanan told me.

                           “The copy of such declaration will be handed over to the buyers who in turn will pass it on to their importers. Violation of these directives might lead to cancellation of licence for the party concerned”, he said.

                          Earlier, addressing an awareness meeting, he told manufacturers and growers to ensure that no chemical banned in India is used by them. “Tea Board will help you in fulfilling any norm in ensuring trade in legally safe tea. This will help producers get better market, especially abroad, and consumers safe tea”, he noted.

                         UPASI Tea Committee Chairman T Jayaram urged manufacturers to adhere to the new safety norms and benefit from increased marketing avenues.

                          The Director of UPASI Tea Research Foundation Dr B Radhakrishnan said, “In tea plantations in Nilgiris, pests are minimal compared to other areas. So, usage of chemicals is already minimal. We are advising the growers to use chemicals only when absolutely needed and that too in the right dosage”.

                        Tea Board Deputy Director C S Hariprakash noted that tea in South India already has pesticide residuals far less than the prescribed limit.

                       photo: Tea Board - UPASI TRF awareness programme on ‘Plant Protection Formulation’ in progress at Coonoor on Friday. (l-r): Dr Radhakrishnan, Ambalavanan, Jayaram and Hariprakash ::