According to Indian Tea Exporters Association (ITEA) head Anshuman Kanoria, both foreign and local customers have rejected a number of tea consignments due to the presence of pesticides and chemicals over permissible levels.
Tea Board plans to increase exports to fill the void left in the world market by Sri Lanka's crisis. Consignment rejection, on the other hand, is causing a drop in export.
According to a PTI report quoting Kanoria, while Indian tea might have filled the void left by Sri Lanka's lack of exports, the current situation has harmed India's chances.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulates all teas marketed in the nation. However, Kanoria told PTI that the majority of the purchasers are buying tea with extremely high chemical content.
India exported 195.90 million kg of tea in 2021. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Iran were the two biggest buyers. This year, the board hopes to produce 300 million kg of tea.
According to Kanoria, several nations have strict tea importation laws. The majority of countries comply to EU norms, which are stricter than the FSSAI regulations.
"Rather than complying with the law, many are urging the government to relax FSSAI regulations," he added, adding that this would send the incorrect message because the beverage is considered a health drink.
Tea packers and exporters have complained about the issue, according to a senior official with the Tea Board.
"It is emphasized that manufacturers must comply to all current FSSAI regulations. Producers' organizations have approached the FSSAI with a request to change the rules. It is self-evident that exports must comply with the importing country's current regulations "he stated
In 2021, India exported tea worth Rs 5,246.89 crore.
In the last few years, the tea gardens have undergone a lot of changes due to climate change. The risk of pests has increased due to heavy rains or prolonged drought. According to reports, the leaves are often plucked only after the pesticide use is over. The reason for this is that traces of pesticides remain on the tea leaves. The leaves are usually plucked about 10 to 20 days after the insecticide has been sprayed. If this is not followed, then there is a possibility of them becoming more pesticides.
