'Ooty Tea' to be sold in PDS shops of Kerala as tea factories reopen in district

Shantha Thiagarajan | TNN | Updated: Apr 14, 2020, 10:07 IST

Sixteen INDCO tea factories started functioning since the last one week

UDHAGAMANDALAM: In a first, the famed 'Ooty Tea' produced by sixteen tea cooperatives in the Nilgiris district will be distributed in PDS shops of Kerala.
Based on official sanction, the sixteen INDCO tea factories started functioning since the last one week. Tea growing / manufacturing falls under exempted services. Around 26,000 small tea farmers in the district are attached to the sixteen tea factories in the district, which come under INDCOSERVE (Tamil Nadu Small Tea Growers' Industrial Cooperative Tea Factories' Federation Limited), considered the largest tea cooperative in the country.
Supriya Sahu, managing director, Indcoserve said, "We have received an order for our brand 'Ooty Tea' from Kerala government for PDS distribution. A significant quantity of our tea will be exported to Kerala, besides our usual supply to TN government for PDS distribution".
The tea factories were shut in the district for 12 days since April 25 in view of the nationwide lockdown. But considering the livelihood of small tea growers, the apex body decided to open the factories. "Since the pilot was successful, all 16 factories have been made operational. With 50 percent staff strength at factories, we are strictly following protocols of social distancing and use of sanitizers", said Sahu.
Before opening the factories, a detailed guideline issued by Indcoserve included providing transport facilities for all workers called for shifts, adequate sanitizing points and ensuring there is no overcrowding.
In the last one week of operations, the amount of green tea leaves procured from the small tea farmers stands at 1328 tonnes while the tea production is 320 tonnes. The online tea auction for Ooty tea is likely to resume its operations from April 15, Sahu said.