The Assam Congress on Saturday said the government should stop the subsidy given to small tea growers in the state to control quantity and quality for the next five years.

PCC media cell chairman Bhagirath Karan told reporters here that the move was necessary to maintain stable production and market.

“Small tea growers are increasing in Assam and elsewhere in the country. Assam has about 120,000 small tea growers. According to reports, the tea they grow is not of suitable quality. Uncontrolled growth destroys the market and quality of tea. Besides, this tea is cultivated on government and forest land without giving any revenue and the workers associated with small tea growers don’t receive adequate wages, bonus and other facilities,” he said.

Karan said bought-leaf factories should be closed in the absence of proper laws to govern them, all tea leaves should be sold through auction to ensure transparency and there should be a separate ministry for tea. “If petroleum and coal can have separate ministries, why not tea? The tea industry is in crisis as the supply exceeds demand. However, neither the Centre nor the state government has held any discussion in the last five years to address the issue,” he alleged.

Karan’s comments followed Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to the state on Thursday.