EPS demands TN govt to take efforts to fix Rs 33.50/kg as MSP for green tea
The government should also seek a report from the horticulture department and also take the M S Swaminathan committee’s recommendations on MSP for farm products into account to extend relief for the tea growers, he said in a statement.
Edappadi K Palaniswami (File)
CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday demanded the Tamil Nadu government to insist the Central government to fix Rs 33.50/ kg as minimum support price (MSP) for green tea to ensure the livelihood of 85,000 odd small and medium tea growers in The Nilgiris. He also demanded the state government to extend Rs 10 as subsidy per kg of green tea.
Flagging the issue pertaining to the steep fall of green tea price, Palaniswami said the price plummeted upto Rs 12 per kg of green tea. It would severely affect the lives of the tea growers in The Nilgiris. “Keeping the welfare of the tea growers in mind, the state government should follow the direction of the Madras High Court regarding the tea growers’ issue to redress their grievances,” said Palaniswami.
The government should also seek a report from the horticulture department and also take the M S Swaminathan committee’s recommendations on MSP for farm products into account to extend relief for the tea growers, he said in a statement.
Pointed out the continuous protest by Naghupettu Paducah welfare association demanding the government to fix Rs 33.50 as MSP for green tea per kg, Palaniswami condemned the TN government that the tea growers have been protesting since September 1 in different parts in The Nilgiris, but the government failed to look into their issue.
