GS Paper III
News excerpt:
The Tea Board India has asked tea estates and small tea growers across India to avoid using chemicals or pesticides that have no label claim for tea in their plantations.
More details on news:
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) held a meeting to discuss various issues related to the quality of tea. It highlighted the presence of various banned chemical pesticides in tea that are detrimental to the health of consumers.
- Additionally, the FSSAI recently circulated a list of 20 banned insecticides in this context.
- The Tea Board India, therefore, instructed all tea producers in the country not to use any chemical pesticide in their tea plantations that do not have a label claim for tea.
- The Tea Board also urged all tea producers’ associations and small tea growers’ associations to sensitise their members accordingly.
After Tea Board India’s direction, tea production is likely to fall
- Tea production in India this year was 1,163.06 million kgs against 1,166.34 million kgs last year.
- Amount of tea exported this year was 157.92 million kgs compared to 166.11 million kgs last year.
Mixed reaction on the decision:
View of small tea growers associations
- The Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers’ Associations has welcomed the Tea Board directive and sought extensive awareness campaigns among the small tea farmers, who contribute 55% to the national tea production.
View of larger tea producers associations
- The Tea Board should have conducted research for suitable alternatives before taking action.
- An immediate impact would be that production would fall and a large amount of tea would be destroyed.
- Also, according to them, the production will fall because the softer pesticide/chemical cannot kill the pests as effectively as those banned.
- There are certain softer pesticides/chemicals but as their prices are slightly higher, people are using those already banned.
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State of tea industry in India
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Soil and climate for tea cultivation Tea requires well drained soil with high amount of organic matter and pH 4.5 to 5.5. The performance of tea is excellent at elevations ranging from 1000 - 2500 m.Optimum temperature: 20 – 27 deg C.Rainfall: Well distributed rainfall ranging between 125 and 750 cm. |
Prelims PYQ
Q. The crop is subtropical in nature. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost-frep davs and 50 to 100 centimeters of rainfall for its growth. A light well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop.” Which one of the following is that crop? (UPSC 2020)
- Cotton
- Jute
- Sugarcane
- Tea
