Demanding Rs.30 per kg of green tea leaves, members of Small Tea Growers Association on Wednesday sat on a one-day hunger strike in Coonoor, 17 kms from here.


Led by the association president, Bhojan about 500 persons, including 300 women participated in the hunger strike.
Other demands included that the government should insist the traders buy the processed teas for not less than rs.150 per kg (to make one kg processed tea, it requires five kg of green leaves) in the Government auction centers, sell
Nilgiris tea powder packets in Aavin milk booths and ration shops, Bhojan said.


Another major problem being faced by the small growers was there were no individual pattas(deeds) for their lands as the government has given joint pattas for agricultural lands in villages. This created problems in getting bank loans individually and considering this the government should provide individual pattas to the growers, Bhojan said.