JORHAT, Jan 6 � The Tea Board of India today asked small tea growers of Assam to provide signed declaration of chemicals used for growing tea to factories for gauging whether they are in adherence with the body�s prescribed Plant Protection Code, reports PTI.
�The code will make Indian tea a safer and healthier drink and improve its competitiveness amongst tea farms and compliance with national regulations and international sustainability standards,� Dipankar Mukherjee, TBI�s North East Zonal Executive Director told PTI.
Plant Protection Code (PPC) is a comprehensive guideline for safe use of plant protection formulation in the country�s tea plantation and industry notified by the Tea Board.
An important component of the code is safe use of plant protection products and adherence to safety standard for safer, healthier and more environmental-friendly teas.
�The aim of plant protection code is to achieve sustainability through good agricultural practices including integrated pest management, promotion of alternative control strategies to gradually reduce the dependence on chemicals,� Mukherjee said.
