For almost a century, the tea industry in Assam has been controlled by large, non-Assamese business interests. Relying on a work force originally brought in from other parts of India, it has historically offered few direct benefits to the people of Assam.
In the early 1990’s, a number of Assamese families began planting and cultivating tea in an effort to improve their livelihoods. Today, most of the tea leaves they harvest are sold to bought-leaf factories - often at prices that barely cover production costs.
