Assam growers to go on strike on July 28

Supratim Dey / Guwahati July 21 :

The small tea growers in Assam have threatened to go on a strike on July 28 as the Assam government is in no mood to give in to their demand to abolish green leaf cess and reducing land revenue.

The cess has been hurting the revenues of the industry, which is already under pressure due to adverse weather and frequent power cuts. The state government, in budget for 2008-09, had imposed a cess of 20 paisa a kg on green leaf. The decision came into effect in February 2009. Since then, the small tea growers of the state, under the banner of the Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association, have been opposing it. They are also demanding reduction in land revenue.

With small tea growers of Assam accounting for 14 per cent of the tea produced in India, any agitation by them is expected to affect the total tea output in the country.