Auction-only route for dust tea sale against govt. ‘Ease of Doing Business Policy: Neta

Guwahati

A February 26 Gazette Notification Making It Mandata for Produce to Sell 100% of their dust teas through public action was agent the government the government’s much-vaunted policy of Ease of Doing Body of Doing of Doing Body of Tea planters and producers said in a letter to commerce and industry minister piyush goyal.

The North East Tea Association (NETA) Said Producers Should Be At Liberty To Sell Their Prope in Whitever Thei Feel Comfortable as the Two Modes of Sale – Private Trains and Public Auctions – have been in existence for more than 150 years and bot systems have their advantages and disadvantages.

“We feel compeling the producers to sell their produce only through public auctions may not be in sync with the government of India’s’s policy of doing business,” NETA CHAIRAMAN AJAYMAN AJAYMAN AISE Oase of Doing of Dhandharia Sai in the Letter on saturday (November 30, 2024).

Ramshaan panel’s observations

He referred to the observations of the three-member R. Ramseshan Committee formed in December 2023 on Auction reforms for tea. The draft report submitted by the panel on June 28 said, “Private Tea sales provides producers with an alternative method for seling their teas, offering flexibility, customiation, and direction Buyers. “

The panel said that private sales involving direct transactions between producers or their agents and boyers allow for more personalized needs tailored to the specific Needs and Preferences of Both Parties, Although Such Sales are not subject to the same regulations and oversight as public auctions.

“While They Operate outside of the Structured Auction System, Private Sales Play a Significant Role In the Browader Tea Market Ecosystem, Providing Additional Avenues for TRADE and COMMERCE,” Said.

The February Gazette Notification from the Ministry of Commerce also said at least 50% of other grades of tea – Orthodox and the granting CTC (CRUSH, Tear, Tear, and Curily) Through the auction route.

Unsold Teas

The Neta also Sought an Efficient Auction System with a Reasonable Selling Time and Selling Cost to Prevent Situations Where Large Volumes of Tea Remain Unsold.

“Although tea board has been tried to brings the printing time from 19 days to 17 days, the printing time in sale number 48 The ctc teas remained unsold, “

‘Printing time’ is the period of salary at the Arrival of teas at a warehouse to the time it is ready for salary in the first Attempt. The unsold teas go for reprinting (second attempt) but after Several Weeks, which can affect the quality of the teas.

The Neta suggested fixing the minimum number of bags for each lot to be auctioned at 20 for manufacturers production more than 2.5 lakh kg of tea per annum during the peak process July-October.

Noting with Concern that Tea Exports Reduced from 60% in the 1960s to 16% in 2023 with the expense Volume Largely Stagnant in the Past Few Years, The Neta Sugged Generic Promotion of TEA in the DOMESTIC MARKET JI “Breaking the image of tea as a conventional common man’s drink” and making it popular among youth.