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Tea Board adds auction centres to help producers realise better prices
വാർത്തയിൽ എന്തുകൊണ്ട്?
Which ministry runs the Tea Board? The Tea Act 1953 body behind auction reform, in GS3 plantation questions
More auction centres are part of a reform push to improve what tea growers earn.
Why it matters: asked in UPSC 2022; factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 മിനിറ്റ്
The Tea Board is increasing the number of auction centres to help tea producers realise better prices, and expects its auction reform initiatives to improve price realisation.
The Board is a statutory body under the Tea Act, 1953, functioning under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Orthodox tea prices have also risen at Kochi auctions on overseas demand.
ഉറവിടങ്ങൾ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
പ്രധാന വസ്തുതകൾ
Remember these
- The Tea Board is a statutory body set up under the Tea Act, 1953.
- It functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, like the Coffee, Rubber and Spices Boards.
- The Board is increasing the number of auction centres so that producers realise better prices.
- Orthodox tea prices have risen at the Kochi auctions on overseas demand.
- Auction reform is aimed at improving price realisation for tea growers.
പ്രിലിംസ് · മെയിൻസ്
How the exam will ask it
പ്രിലിംസ്
- The Tea Board is a statutory body constituted under the Tea Act, 1953.
- The Tea Board functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as do the Coffee, Rubber and Spices Boards.
- Orthodox tea, unlike CTC tea, is produced by rolling leaves without crushing, tearing and curling them, and is largely export-oriented.
- Kochi is one of the tea auction centres in India.
മെയിൻസ്
GS3 (Agriculture marketing; Plantation sector). Tea growers, especially small growers, often face weak price realisation because of auction concentration and intermediaries; the Tea Board, under the Tea Act, 1953, is responding with more auction centres and auction reforms. The implication is better price discovery and farmer income, and the way forward lies in transparent e-auctions, support for small growers, quality improvement and export market diversification.
PYQ connection
A question UPSC has already asked on this
With reference to the Tea Board in India, consider the following statements:
- The Tea Board is a statutory body.
- It is a regulatory body attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- The Tea Board's Head Office is situated in Bengaluru.
- The Board has overseas offices at Dubai and Moscow.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 3
- 2 and 4
- 3 and 4
- 1 and 4
ഉത്തരം കാണിക്കൂ
ഉത്തരം: D
Why this matters: today's issue is directly connected to a concept UPSC has already tested. Read the story with this question in mind.
Practise this PYQ →Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
The Tea Board of India, a statutory body set up under the Tea Act, 1953, functions under the Ministry of:
- Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
- Food Processing Industries
- Commerce and Industry
- Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
ഉത്തരം കാണിക്കൂ
ഉത്തരം: C — Correct: Commerce and Industry — The Tea Board, along with the Coffee, Rubber and Spices Boards, works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. • Agriculture and Farmers Welfare — wrong: Agriculture and Farmers Welfare administers crop schemes, not the Tea Board. • Food Processing Industries — wrong: Food Processing Industries oversees processing schemes and bodies like NIFTEM, not the Tea Board. • Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution — wrong: Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution handles pricing and food security, not commodity boards.
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