ITA urges Assam govt not to hike land rates

The Indian Tea Association (ITA) has urged the Assam government not to raise land revenue rates as it may hit the industry hard.

The Indian Tea Association (ITA) has urged the Assam government not to raise land revenue rates as it may hit the industry hard.

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An ITA spokesman said the Assam government has already increased land rates from August this year, and further hiking it would strike a serious blow to its trade. Gardens of prominent tea companies of north India are located in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys of Assam. The ITA said rising costs have severely affected the viability of the tea gardens in Assam and a mismatch between high cost of production and price realisation has led to distress in the industry.

Besides, cost of production in India remains the highest amongst other tea producing countries of the world. In such a scenario, the association urged the Assam government to revoke such a move that rates could be restored to the earlier level.