Agartala, Dec 24: The Tripura Pradesh Congress on Wednesday accused the Centre’s “New India” policies of pushing the state’s traditional tea industry into a deepening crisis, warning that misguided agricultural and industrial decisions are placing farmers, labourers, and small producers in a vulnerable position.
Addressing a press conference at the State Congress headquarters, TPCC spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty said distress signals from tea estates are now unmistakable despite high-profile promotional activities. He noted that events like “Run for Tea” project a celebratory image of the sector while long-running gardens continue to grapple with financial strain and operational challenges.
Chakraborty criticised the state Agriculture Minister’s proposal to introduce apple and mango plantations inside tea estates, arguing that such experiments could disrupt the core ecosystem on which tea cultivation depends. Tea gardens, he said, have historically relied on shade trees like eucalyptus, banana, and koroi—species that match the region’s soil characteristics and water requirements.
He questioned whether any scientific or agronomic assessment was conducted before introducing mango trees in estates. According to him, uncertainty among workers and small producers has increased as a result of these sudden decisions.
The Congress spokesperson further cited expert opinions warning that palm varieties—already being planted in certain estates—consume surface water at a high rate, potentially lowering soil fertility and reducing tea output.
Chakraborty also alleged that after 2018, the Tea Development Board has remained largely ineffective in promoting industry growth or improving worker welfare, while decisions have increasingly favoured corporate beneficiaries. He claimed some officials and individuals aligned with the ruling alliance have gained personally from these developments.
Referring to the 1960 Land Reform Act, he reminded that only tea factories and workers’ quarters are legally permitted inside estates. Yet, he alleged that plantations of palm, coconut, areca nut, and even cannabis have emerged under what he described as a nexus between government actors and local mafias. He also drew parallels to earlier attempts to replace tea with rubber plantations—an experiment eventually halted through legislation following sustained opposition.
