S Soundararajan, Director of Tea Development, Tea Board emphasised the need to produce diverse varieties of tea and adapt to the new ways of business to support future generations.
150th year celebration
The marketing strategies, replanting and other measures of garden management are vital in a globally competitive era like this. “If you do not adapt to the new challenges and change the business strategy accordingly, it is difficult to exist in the business,” Soundararajan said while addressing the 150th year celebration of Central Travancore Planters’ Association and 89th anniversary of Vandiperiyar Club.
The plantation wages in Kerala are amongst the highest in all the tea growing states, resulting in the region losing its cost competitiveness to the produce of other geographies. There is a limitation on running a garden like how it was managed 150 years ago, he said.
Soundararajan also called for a holistic and integrated approach by all stakeholders’ right from producers to consumers to ensure the sustainability of the livelihood of millions.
Prince Thomas George, Chairman, Association of Planters of Kerala said they are closely analysing the “findings of the IIM report on Diversification and Modernisation of the Plantation Sector” to develop actionable strategies that will help plantations remain viable and competitive in a rapidly changing economic landscape.
Initiatives to promote climate resilience
Besides, APK is working on initiatives to promote climate resilience in plantations, recognising that unpredictable weather patterns, soil degradation, and increasing input costs pose significant threats to the sector. “We are also collaborating with research institutions to enhance productivity, improve labour welfare, and encourage technology adoption in plantations,” he said.
Prince Thomas also highlighted that the land-related issues is a major challenge faced by the plantation sector, which is threatening the rightful ownership and operations of plantations. APK has been at the forefront of addressing these concerns, actively engaging with government authorities to counter misleading narratives and legal challenges that undermine plantations, he added.
The Central Travancore Planters Association traces its roots to 1874, when its predecessor Peermade Planters’ Association was formed to promote Travancore’s tea industry. The British established the Vandiperiyar Club, where CTPA meetings were traditionally held.