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Today Date : Saturday, February 15, 2025

UPASI asks Tea Board to revive Tea Council

UPASI asks Tea Board to revive Tea Council

Mr.M.P.Cherian, President-UPASI in a Press Statement said that UPASI wish to state that its Tea Members adhere to high standards in production by ensuring that the teas are well within the residue levels laid down by the various standards/statutes. UPASI Tea Research Foundation [UPASI-TRF]  has been recommending pesticides approved by Central Insecticides Board (CIB) and the industry has been following these stringent guidelines on the MRL limits fixed by the regulatory authorities like FSSAI.

The largest auction centre in South India, Cochin, has been periodically testing all producers auction teas for several years. These teas have MRL levels far below the FSSAI specified residue levels. As per 2021 figure, though the South India’s share of total tea production in the country is 17.50%, it’s share in the total exports is 42.02%. 

It is pertinent to note that exports are only carried out once the buyer has tested the samples of each consignment by themselves and approved. 
As regards the present controversy on rejection of tea consignments by the unreported importing destinations appears to be an exaggeration of facts, as there is no conclusive evidence to state that tea consignments were returned.    UPASI wish to reassure that its members are regularly advised to follow the protocols while applying pesticides. 

Further, the long plucking intervals followed in South India facilitate the safe harvest intervals specified for each and every pesticide.UPASI suggests that Tea Board should immediately revive the Tea Council, both in North and South India, whose remit was to monitor closely the tea exports as well as imports.