In a significant move to boost the state’s tea industry, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to provide 50% subsidy on machinery and equipment used for tea leaf plucking. This decision aims to alleviate challenges faced by tea growers due to small land holdings, high labour costs, low productivity levels, and a scarcity of tea auction centres across the region.
Tea industry experts have long pointed to obstacles such as fragmented land ownership and insufficient infrastructure as hurdles to the growth of tea cultivation in the state. The subsidy initiative is expected to particularly benefit around 5,900 tea cultivators in regions including Palampur, Baijnath, Dharamshala, Kangra, Jogindernagar, Karsog, and Bhattiyat. Remarkably, 96% of tea growers possess land holdings of less than 0.5 hectares.
Until now, tea growers were excluded from the agricultural tools subsidy scheme due to the distinct equipment requirements for tea cultivation compared to other crops. According to Agriculture Secretary Rakesh Kanwar, “We have now rectified this disparity, making tea growers eligible for subsidies on a defined set of equipment, including tea-plucking machinery.”
This progressive step marks the first-ever subsidy of its kind for tea-related machinery. Allocation of budgetary funds has been made for subsidies on tea-plucking machinery and ancillary equipment, and comprehensive guidelines are in the final stages of preparation. Under this subsidy scheme, double-men-operated tea-plucking machines will enjoy a 50% subsidy, capped at a maximum of Rs 80,000, while single-man-operated machines will be eligible for up to Rs 40,000. Furthermore, provision has been made to introduce battery-operated machinery for small-scale tea growers.
In parallel with these efforts, the agriculture department is confronting the challenge of rejuvenating 53% (approximately 1,200 hectares) of neglected tea cultivation areas. To achieve this, the department is supplying tea plants to farmers, and new plantations are being established in areas like Jogindernagar, Palampur, Dharamshala, and Jaisinghpur. As of 2013, a comprehensive survey indicated that the total tea cultivation area spans 2,311 hectares. Within this, 1,096 hectares are diligently maintained, while 1,210 hectares have been abandoned, uprooted, or repurposed as dwellings.
Presently, Himachal Pradesh’s annual tea production stands at approximately 10 lakh kg, of which 4,000 kg is directly exported to Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. Notably, small tea growers contribute 59.2% of the overall production. Within the state, four cooperatives and government-run factories, along with 35 independent manufacturing units, collectively channel 90% of the tea output to the Kolkata auction centre. The average sale price for this tea is Rs 160 per kg.
