Government Steps Up Support for Assam’s Tea Sector Through TDPS
The funds support activities such as replantation, SHG and FPO formation, capacity building, organic conversion and setting up small processing units, the minister said.
New Delhi, December 3: The Union government is strengthening Assam’s tea industry through the Tea Development & Promotion Scheme (TDPS), with targeted support for productivity improvement, quality enhancement and empowering small tea growers through group-based models.
The update was provided by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Under the scheme, the Tea Board allocated ₹152.76 crore for Assam between 2021-22 and 2025-26, of which ₹150.20 crore has been utilised so far. The funds support activities such as replantation, SHG and FPO formation, capacity building, organic conversion and setting up small processing units, the minister said.
Between 2021-22 and October 2025, the scheme led to:
- 437.42 hectares of replantation
- 318 SHGs, 143 FPOs and 26 FPCs formed
- 31 mini tea factories established
- 30.32 hectares converted to organic
- 30 farm field schools set up
- 1,343 capacity building programmes conducted
Exports of Indian tea, including Assam tea, rose from USD 751.07 million in 2021-22 to USD 923.89 million in 2024-25, reflecting a CAGR of 7.15 percent.
An evaluation by NITI Aayog’s DMEO in 2023 noted satisfactory implementation of TDPS, especially in SHG/FPO formation and productivity improvement. The recommendations—covering replantation, brand promotion, FPO strengthening and dissemination of good agricultural practices—were incorporated into the 2023-24 to 2025-26 version of the scheme, the reply added.
