Tea Board deploys weather stations to boost yields for Nilgiris small growers

The Tea Board India has deployed five automatic weather stations across Thummanatti and Kadakodu villages in the Nilgiris to equip small tea growers with real-time meteorological data for managing yields, quality, and combating disease and pest infestations. The installations, completed in March 2026 through a collaboration involving the Tea Board, Agri Foretell, and Havukal Tea Factory, target two Farmers' Producers Organisations selected under the Board's technological intervention scheme.

Review meeting highlights implementation challenges

C. Murugan, Deputy Chairman of Tea Board India, led a recent review meeting at Thummanatti where beneficiaries, members of the Mupathu Mukkodi Devathi Devargal Small Tea Growers' Association and Hari Om Small Tea Growers' Association, discussed practical difficulties encountered during the project's rollout. Murugan also inspected one of the automatic weather stations installed in a small grower's field.

Push for value addition and direct marketing

Murugan urged small tea cultivators to move beyond supplying green leaves and establish mini tea factories to produce finished tea, positioning themselves higher in the value chain. He assured growers that the Tea Board would provide 'Tea Mark' certification and facilitate direct sales through teamarketplace.in, the Board's authorised online commercial platform.

The review meeting drew attendance from Bharani Kumaar, Executive Director of the Tea Board's South Zonal Office in Coonoor; S. Soundararajan, Director (Tea Development) from the Board's Kolkata office; representatives from Havukal Tea Factory and Agri Foretell Group; and participating small tea growers.

Source: The Hindu