Guwahati: A new book titled ‘Minimum Floor Price’ has been launched in Guwahati, highlighting the most pressing challenges facing the tea industry in Assam.

Author Chandra Kumar Dhanuka, chairman of the Dhunseri Group, argues that a minimum price is crucial for the survival of the sector and its millions of workers.

Dhanuka pointed out the disparity between the returns of tea farmers and middlemen. While small tea farmers, who make up 52 percent of the market, support the livelihood of around three million people, they bear the brunt of low prices and pest infestation.

In contrast, a handful of large buyers control the market and make significant profits.

The book highlights the global oversupply of tea, a situation that is expected to continue at least until 2030, according to a FAO report.

Drawing a parallel with the government’s minimum price (MSP) for other agricultural products, Dhanuka argued that tea farmers deserved similar protection.

Unlike the MSP, a minimum price mechanism would not require government intervention in purchasing or financing tea transactions.

Dhanuka stressed that this measure is urgently needed to prevent the collapse of the tea industry and to secure the livelihoods of millions of people.

Industry leaders including Hemant Bangur (Chairman, ITA), Sandeep Singhania (President, TAI) and representatives of various tea growers’ associations attended the book launch and expressed their support for the proposed solution.

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