Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 30
As the nodal department for tea cultivation in the State, the Land Resources Department (LRD) has said that it would bridge the gap between the Tea Board of India (TBI) and Nagaland tea growers who are yet to get the desired assistance from the competent authority.
A team of LRD officers including its Secretary, Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS and Director, Hoto Yeptho visited Tea Board of India, Jorhat on July 27 and held meeting with the officials there.
During the meeting, Kikheto pointed out that the tea growers in Mon said that no officials from TBI had visited their cultivation so far and appealed the authorities to visit the state and create awareness on the technicalities of tea growing.
The tea growers in Nagaland, he said, were randomly cultivating any species of tea in the absence of proper guidance about feasibility according to climate and geographical locations.
Kikheto mentioned most of the poor farmers who have given up jhuming and adopting tea cultivation were the ones that needed financial assistance as well as technical support.
He said Mon district alone was cultivating tea in about 600 Ha, while Wokha cultivates 80 Ha and Mokokchung 30 Ha.
The Secretary suggested close coordination between the TBI and LRD, Nagaland and for undertaking joint inspection to tea farms in the State. Director Hoto Yeptho also queried as to how much assistance has the TBI given to tea growers in Nagaland.
Responding to this, the Assistant Director, Tea Development, TBI, Jorhat, Rituraj Hazarika said that they do not have absolute figure as to how much assistance had been extended to Nagaland tea growers. The TBI officials also said that there was an ongoing case in the Court between TBI and All Nagaland Small Tea Growers Association.
In this regard, Kikheto said that the LRD would try to meet the Tea Growers Association and sort out issues amicably.
The LRD officials also later visited Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, which is 106 years old and the oldest tea institute in the world.
