The Coffee Board is implementing Integrated Coffee Development Project under which various interventions such as research & development, technology transfer, capacity building, support to mechanization of estates, coffee area development, market development, support to value addition etc. are undertaken for the overall improvement of production, productivity and quality of coffee. A sum of ₹ 464.30cr has been spent by the Coffee Board on various components of the Scheme during 12th Plan. The productivity of the coffee has increased from 846kg/Ha. in 2012-13 to 876 kg/Ha in 2015-16.

Under the Tea Development and Promotion Scheme of the Tea Board, support is provided for plantation development, quality upgradation and product diversification, development of small tea growers, research and human resource development. A sum of ₹ 625.55 cr has been spent by the Tea Board on various components of the Scheme during 12th Plan. The productivity oftea increased from 2017 kg/Ha. in 2012-13 to 2176 kg/Ha in 2015-16.

Coffee Board is undertaking various measures to boost Coffee exports and promotion of coffee sector, which include conducting promotional activities in the foreign as well as domestic markets, providing incentives for export of high value and value added coffee, participating in International events, organizing‘Flavour of India –The Fine Cup Award’ competition and India International Coffee Festival to encourage coffee exporters.

Tea Board has also undertaken promotional initiatives such as participation in domestic and international trade fairs, arranging buyer-seller meets, effecting exchange of delegations and undertaking generic promotion in key markets through print-media and engaging in dialogues with governments of the importing countries in order to boost exports.

Coffee Board and Tea Board are responsible for implementation of various statutory and regulatory prescribed under the Coffee Act, 1942 and Tea Act, 1953 respectively. Export licenses and Certificates of origin are being issued by the Coffee Board to monitor Coffee exports from the country. The Board is also issuing licenses to coffee curing works. Tea Board through various control orders such as Tea (Marketing) Control order, Tea (Distribution and Export) Control order, Tea Warehouse License order and Tea Waste Control order has been regulating various aspects of the tea industry.

Tea Board has undertaken a countrywide enumeration to identify individual small tea growers who are issued with Biometric card/Smart card with a unique no. for easy identification. Further, based on the evaluation study report on XI Plan Scheme, a separate component for the development of small growers is being implemented in the 12thPlan for emphasizing the special needs of this sector. Special assistance is provided to growers in the non-traditional states in North Eastern Region, Himachal Pradesh and Idukki district of Kerala.

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

Regulatory oversight of coffee and tea sectors enables development schemes, licensing, export promotion and small grower identification. Coffee and Tea Boards implement sectoral development schemes providing R&D, technology transfer, capacity building, mechanization, area development and market/value addition support to raise production and quality. Under the Coffee Act, 1942 and the Tea Act, 1953, the Boards exercise regulatory functions including issuance of export licences, certificates of origin and curing/work licences for coffee, and administration of control orders and warehouse licences for tea. The Tea Board also conducts biometric enumeration of small growers and implements a dedicated small grower development component with targeted regional assistance.