Tea Growers Seek No-Plucking Dates in West Bengal & Assam Amid Winter Dormancy to Safeguard Quality and Livelihoods

Tea Growers Seek No-Plucking Dates: In a significant move for India’s tea industry, the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers’ Associations (CISTA) has formally appealed to the Tea Board of India (TBI) to announce clear “no-plucking” periods — both the final date for this year’s harvesting and the start date for next season — in the key tea-growing regions of West Bengal and Assam. The request is driven by agronomic considerations, quality concerns during the winter dormancy period, and the financial realities of small growers.

According to CISTA president Bijoygopal Chakraborty, while the Tea Board has in earlier years issued clear cut-off dates for plucking that coincide with the onset of dormancy, this year there has been no such directive yet. Growers argue that the absence of an officially sanctioned freeze creates uncertainty for pruning, maintenance and harvesting planning.

More than just a scheduling matter, the proposal carries deep implications for the livelihoods of small tea growers who collectively contribute a majority share of India’s tea output and operate under tight agronomic cycles and market pressures.

Tea Growers Seek No-Plucking Dates: Why This Matters

Winter months in India’s north-tea belts — particularly in northern West Bengal and Assam — present a unique agronomic challenge: as temperatures drop and plant metabolism slows, bush-growth enters a near-dormant phase. In this state, fresh shoots become scarce, leaf quality deteriorates, and harvesting becomes less efficient and more prone to producing low-quality outputs. A well-timed no-plucking period helps ensure that only high-quality leaves are harvested, protects the next flush by allowing bushes to recuperate, and safeguards the reputation of Indian tea in domestic and export markets.

Small tea growers are especially vulnerable in this scenario. Many cultivate on smaller plots, rely on bought-leaf factories rather than processing their own produce, and have less flexibility in adjusting labour, inputs and harvesting schedules. Thus, clarity on when plucking must stop, and when it may resume, is not simply administrative but foundational to their operational planning.

What Growers Are Asking

In its letter to the Tea Board, CISTA has proposed the following dates for this year:

• West Bengal: Last date for plucking – 25 December
• Assam: Last date for plucking – 20 December

For reference, last year the cut-off date was fixed at 30 November. Growers say that leaf remained marketable well beyond that date, and hence the earlier deadline meant forgone harvesting opportunities. They contend that pushing the cut-off later aligns more realistically with current agronomic growth patterns and enables better income capture.

In addition to setting an end date, the growers also ask the Tea Board to specify a commencement date for the next season’s plucking. This allows them to plan pruning, bush maintenance, fertilisation, labour scheduling and other off-season work with clarity.

The Sector Background

The Indian tea industry is undergoing structural stress and transformation. Some salient points:

• Small tea growers (STGs) — defined by the Tea Board as those cultivating up to a certain acreage (e.g., up to 10.12 hectares in some definitions) — numbered around 247,887 as on 31 March 2024 and contributed about 53.42% of India’s total tea production.
• The Tea Board’s ambitious “Tea Development & Promotion Scheme 2021-26” emphasises the plantation development of small tea growers, value-addition, worker welfare and improved quality to make Indian tea globally competitive. (teaboard.gov.in)
• Regulatory oversight such as setting plucking schedules, defining small-grower benefits, registration, and financial aid are part of the Tea Board’s mandate. (teaboard.gov.in)

The significance of small growers is not just numeric: they operate in regions where bought-leaf factories dominate (i.e., factories that purchase leaves from growers rather than owning plantations themselves). Their operations are sensitive to changes in scheduling, quality protocols, labour availability and market timing.

Regional Snapshots

North Bengal (West Bengal)

In the tea belts of north Bengal (such as Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling hills and the Dooars), small tea growers form a large portion of the growing base. Their fields often operate on tight margins, fluctuating climatic conditions and labour dynamics. Growers say that leaves remain harvest-worthy later in the year than the previously enforced end-of-November date. An extension to 25 December would allow them to capture that additional window rather than losing income due to an early mandated halt.

Assam

Assam is the largest tea-producing state in India and features both large estates and many small growers. Climatic patterns, flush cycles and dormancy timing differ somewhat from north Bengal. CISTA’s proposed date of 20 December for Assam acknowledges these regional variations while still allowing a later window than current precedents.

The Case for Later Dates

Growers provide several arguments:

1. Leaf availability – Many plantations assess that fresh shoot growth continues into December, meaning the enforced November cut-off leaves valuable harvest unplucked.
2. Income impacts – For small growers, every additional plucking round contributes to income, and losing a month can mean significant lost revenue.
3. Maintenance window clarity – If the no-plucking period is announced in advance, growers can plan pruning, fertilisation and labour deployment more efficiently, reducing idle time and costs.
4. Quality preservation – A formal freeze gives bushes rest and ensures the next flush begins robustly; catching the window neatly helps maintain the next season’s quality.
5. Market signals – A predictable schedule allows bought-leaf factories, processing units and exporters to plan capacity, sourcing and quality control rather than operating reactively.

Why the Tea Board’s Decision Matters

The Tea Board sets the regulatory framework for scheduling, quality, certification (including for small growers and mini-factories), export promotion and scheme implementation. Its issuance of a no-plucking circular is more than an administrative formality: it provides a signal to the entire value chain — growers, factories, labour networks, exporters and buyers. A delay or ambiguity in that order can:

• Leave growers uncertain about when they must stop harvesting, complicating labour and field-operations planning.
• Allow some processing units to continue plucking into dormancy, which may lead to lower quality tea entering the market, undermining India’s reputation.
• Undermine the purpose of a planned “rest” period for bushes and soils, potentially reducing the quality of the next flush or increasing costs for rejuvenation.
• Distort supply-timing, which can affect domestic auctions, exporter contracts and pricing dynamics.

Challenges & Considerations

While the growers’ request is compelling, various complexities must be factored:

• Regional variation: Flush cycles differ by geography (altitude, rainfall, soil, micro-climate). A one-size schedule may not suit all zones equally.
• Enforcement: Issuing a freeze date is one thing; ensuring that factories and growers comply (especially regarding purchased leaves during dormancy) is another.
• Market dynamics: Buyers and exporters may have expectations of supply, and shifting harvest windows may require renegotiation of contracts or adjustment of processing logistic timelines.
• Quality vs volume trade-off: If plucking continues into a slower growth period, there is risk of obtaining lesser quality leaf even if quantity is available. The Board must balance quantity gains with quality assurance.
• Labour and input cost: Even if leaves are available later, labour & inputs may cost more or be harder to source in off-season, reducing net benefit.

What Growers Hope For

The growers’ ask can be summarised thus:

• A public declaration by the Tea Board of the last permissible date for plucking this year (with proposed 25 December for West Bengal and 20 December for Assam).
• A public declaration of the start date for next year’s plucking, enabling planning for the off-season tasks like pruning, field maintenance, fertiliser application and soil‐resting.
• Region-wise clarity signalling — rather than national blanket date — to reflect local agronomy.
• Advance notice so that processors and growers align operations accordingly.

With these dates in place, growers expect to better plan operations, adjust labour deployment, schedule maintenance, and capture harvesting revenue while preserving quality and abiding by dormancy-cycles.

Broader Implications for the Indian Tea Industry

This specific scheduling issue ties into larger dynamics:

• India’s quality imperative: With global competition from Kenya, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and others, preserving the reputation of Indian tea — especially the orthodox and speciality segments — is critical. Scheduling care, quality control and production discipline all feed into this.
• Small growers’ livelihoods: More than half the tea produced in India is by small growers. (The Sentinel) Policies affecting harvest cycles directly impact their income and economic stability.
• Regulatory-market alignment: The issuance of no-plucking windows must align with scheme support (for maintenance, worker welfare, inputs) so that smaller units do not suffer from enforced idleness without support. The Tea Board’s scheme documents emphasise such support. (teaboard.gov.in)
• Climate change and agronomy: Changing weather patterns may shift flowering, shoot‐growth and dormancy timing. Growers claim they are seeing fresh leaf into December, underscoring the need for flexibility in scheduling rather than rigid legacy calendars.
• Value chain coordination: Planning of factories, bought‐leaf procurement, processing capacity, export contracts — all require alignment with harvesting windows. Clear scheduling improves supply‐chain efficiency and reduces risk of quality lapses or abrupt shutdowns.

Possible Outcomes

Depending on how the Tea Board responds, several scenarios could materialise:

• Scenario A – Board accepts dates: The Board issues a circular fixing 25 December for West Bengal and 20 December for Assam as last plucking dates, along with a start date for next cycle, region-wise. Growers proceed with planned off-season work; processors schedule capacity accordingly, and the supply-chain aligns.
• Scenario B – Board issues later but different dates: The Board might set a different timeline (earlier or later) based on agronomic data or regional variation. Some growers may accept, others may feel disadvantaged if dates don’t align with their field conditions.
• Scenario C – Board delays decision or issues no fixed date: Uncertainty persists; grower/processor planning remains ad hoc; some may pluck anyway, possibly producing lower-quality leaf or causing scheduling chaos; the chain may face quality/market risks.

What Growers Should Do Now

Given the situation, small growers are advised to take the following steps:

• Monitor official communications from the Tea Board for the circular specifying no-plucking and restart dates.
• Internal planning: Prepare for pruning, fertilisation, bush maintenance, labour contracts and equipment service during the anticipated no-plucking window.
• Coordinate with bought-leaf factories or processing units to align supply expectations and avoid surprises.
• Keep track of leaf growth conditions in their own fields — measure whether shoots are still viable in December, and be prepared for possible supplementary plucking if permitted.
• Be aware of quality standards: Even if permitted later plucking, leaf quality must not be compromised, so avoid harvesting when bushes are truly dormant or foliage is weak.

Conclusion

The request by small tea growers, via CISTA, for clearly defined no-plucking and restart dates is more than a calendar matter — it is inherently linked to agronomy, quality assurance, livelihood, and the global competitiveness of Indian tea. For an industry in which small growers provide the lion’s share of production and yet face significant operational vulnerabilities, scheduling clarity can unlock better planning, higher incomes, improved quality and stronger positioning in export markets.

The role of the Tea Board is critical: by issuing the dates in a timely and region-sensitive manner, it provides the operational anchor for the entire value chain to move from uncertainty into rhythm. In the absence of clear signals, the risk of opportunistic plucking into dormancy, reduced quality, chaotic labour and field scheduling remains real.

For growers in West Bengal and Assam, the coming weeks may determine whether the upcoming season begins on strong, disciplined grounds — or whether ambiguity drags operations into reactive mode. The voice of small tea growers is loud and clear: “When do we stop harvesting, and when do we start again?” Getting that answer matters for their fields, their families, their factories — and for the future of Indian tea.

External links for further reference:

• Tea Board of India – Scheme & Registration Information: https://teaboard.gov.in/TEABOARDPAGE/MzY%3D (teaboard.gov.in)
• Empowering Small-Scale Tea Growers – AESA Network: https://aesanetwork.org/empowering-indias-small-scale-tea-growers/ (aesanetwork.org)

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