North Bengal tea industry in crisis as bought leaf factories suspend green leaf procurement

Siliguri, July 28 -- The tea industry in North Bengal has been plunged into uncertainty after members of the North Bengal Tea Producers Association (NBTPA) suspended procurement of green tea leaves from small tea growers (STGs), leaving nearly 50,000 grower families staring at a livelihood crisis.

The decision, communicated to various small tea growers' associations on July 24 and made effective from July 27, follows growing concerns over the presence of hazardous chemical residues in green tea leaves supplied by some growers.

In a letter issued to the associations, the NBTPA stated that no Bought Leaf Factory (BLF) would accept green tea leaves unless accompanied by a mandatory Maximum Residue Level (MRL) compliance test report issued by...