Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 26
Although tea cultivation is picking up fast in the state, plantations are scattered across small pockets except for a few which have developed in compact areas. So far there is only one tea factory in the state located in Mokokchung district. This factory is fed by the plantations of small tea growers of neighbouring districts like Zunheboto and Wokha, besides its own district.
However, a major bulk of the green leaf from the foothill areas of Wokha, Mon and Mokokchung are fed to the adjoining state of Assam at an exorbitantly low price. According to the Annual Administrative Report of the department of Agriculture tabled at the recently concluded state assembly session, the report said the programme envisages bringing all potential areas under tea plantation so that enough green leaf can be produced to make it viable for a factory to be set up in such areas.
The Report also stated that the department supports the tea planters by implementing tea nurseries on PPP basis in the potential areas. The saplings thus raised out of TRA certified seeds are issued to tea growers for plantation. The department also maintains plots for tea mother bush and attached nurseries whereby approved tea clonal cuttings are made available to the growers.
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