Tea Board cautions exporters not filing export returns

An increase in tea prices following global supply issues is likely to offset the impact of increased wage rates in West Bengal and Assam, according to a report.

The Tea Board has warned exporters of the beverage who are not filing returns either online or offline and cautioned them that their licenses may be revoked or suspended, a Board official said on Saturday. About 28 tea exporters who are not have been identified by the Board of not submitting export returns, he said.

Filing the return is mandatory but it has been noticed that some permanent exporters have not registered themselves nor do they submit monthly reports online or offline during the previous months as per the provisions of Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order of 2005, the official said. This is in contravention to the provisions of the Order which states that the licensing authority, that is the Tea Board, after giving them an opportunity to be heard can cancel or suspend the licenses if the licensee fails to comply with the directives.

The statutory body also asked exporters to mandatorily submit their returns by the seventh of every month failing which action will be taken against them as decided by the Board. According to the latest data provided by the Tea Board, exports during the first seven months of 2022 touched 116.36 million kilograms as compared to 103.40 million kg during the silimar period of calendar 2021.

The CIS countries was the largest importing block of Indian tea at 25.2 million kg, followed by UAE at 19.14 million kg. Exports to Iran, an erstwhile major importer, remained stagnant at 14 million kg due to payments problems because of US sanctions.