Small Growers and Co-operative Tea Factories in Nilgiris

in Nilgiris V N Reddy Sharit K Bhowmik The co-operative factories in Nilgiris have had a positive effect in helping the small tea growers, especially those with very small holdings. At the same time in spite of their financial and technical limitations over the years the small growers have increased the area of their holdings and their productivity. This shows that the small growers have been more enterprising in raising production than the large estates whose production has remained stagnant. The co-operative factories have not only ensured fair prices to their members but also to growers in areas where there are no co-operatives. The bought leaf factories in these areas pay their growers the market prices. They are cautious in lowering prices as they know that this would provoke the growers into joining a co-operative or, when there is none, in forming a new one. Thus the impact of these co-operatives can be felt on all the small growers in this district.