Ilam, Sept 16 

Suryodaya municipality has pledged to provide a law-stipulated price of green tea leaves while responding to the demand of distraught tea farmers for the same.

The industrialists have not paid the price of tea leaves to the farmers in accordance with the standards set by the municipality. According to the municipality-enforced ‘Quality tea production standards work procedure-2075 BS’, the industrialists are obliged to provide a minimum price of Rs 40 per kg to the farmers.

However, most of the tea industrialists have declined to pay the stipulated price in the pretext of coronavirus effects. Municipality mayor Rana Bahadur Rai has pledged that the municipality would provide the stated price of tea to the farmers by establishing coordination with the tea industries. “I express the commitment to have the farmers properly paid for their tea leaves by any means. I am with farmers and also urge them not to get infuriated from this”.

As many as 655 farmers of Suryodaya municipality have been engaged in tea farming. The farmers have intensified their struggle since the third week of June putting forth a demand for a fair price for their produce.