Key Elements of Technology Package Influencing Annual Tea Production of Small Tea Growers (STGS): Insight from Biswanath District of India

Abstract

Though the tea sector of Assam is primarily dominated by the estate sector comprising of large tea gardens, the relevance of small scale tea plantation can never be denied as nearly 30% of the state’s tea production is contributed by Small Tea Growers (STGs). In fact the quality of green tea leaves produced by the Small Tea Growers (STGs) has outclassed that of the tea leaves produced by the estate sector. Since tea plantation is a technology intensive practice, the growers are bound to adopt certain technology components like artificial fertiliser, artificial pesticide, HYV clone, artificial water supply facility, etc. All these elements constitute a technology package which helps the tea growers to reap greater benefit in tea cultivation. This study is a humble attempt to investigate the marginal impact of each element of the technology package adopted by the Small Tea Growers (STGs) on their annual green tea leave production. Moreover it also tries to figure out the jeopardised effect of the technology package used in tea cultivation on environment and health.