Dr. M.D Baby
Reader & Head-Dept of Commerce,
St. Dominic’s College, Kanjirappally, Kerala
drbabymukalel@rediffmail.com
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Introduction
The cultivation, maintenance, harvesting and processing of tea is labour intensive and provides a regular employment to millions . India is the world’s second largest producer of black tea employing a work force of more than 2 million people. India produces around 927 M. Kg of tea accounting for 27% of world production. India is also the world’s largest consumer of tea. In Idukki district, tea bush is planted in 23415 hectors. Most of the tea plantations are located in Devikulam and Peermade Taluks. The tea plantations of Munnar are owned by big companies. But in Peermade and Vandanmedu areas there are small plantations and small individual holdings.
The Central Travancore group of estates spread over 10,100 hectares in Peermade Taluk and Azhutha block in Idukki district, consists of 36 plantations. Their annual aggregate production comes to nearly 16 million kilograms. These plantations provide direct regular employment to nearly 26,000 people, making Peermade one of the most important tea production centres in Kerala .
Objective of the study
Most of the tea plantations in Peermade have stopped production and over 30 tea estates in Kerala are reported to have been closed down not being able to manage the financial crisis created by emerging market conditions. Some of the plantations are reopened and the tea prices also show some positive sign of recovery, but it is pity to realise that some of the plantations in the area are still remain closed. This study attempts to find out the labour problems in the plantations of Peermade Taluk.
Methodology
The study is compiled with the help of the primary and secondary data. The primary data is collected by using multi stage sampling technique. At the first stage, out of the seven Panchayat in Peermade Taluk, four viz., Vandiperiyar, Peermade, Elappara and Upputhara were selected based on quantity of production and area under cultivation. At the second stage, one Panchayat viz., Elappara was randomly selected. Further Semminivally estate was selected at the third stage. There after 50 male and 50 female labourers were randomly selected at the last stage. There after a scheduled questionnaire is prepared for gathering primary data. The secondary data is sourced from news papers, magazines and journals, and websites.
Results and discussions
33% of the respondents are illiterate and 54% of the respondents have the educational qualification between 5-10th standard. Most of the (39.8%) family members of the respondents are engaging in plantation works (Table; 1) of which 79% are employed on permanent basis.
Table: 1
Occupation of the family members of the respondents
Occupation Male Female Total Percentage
Education 59 54 113 27.8
Plantation Works 78 84 162 39.8
Other Works 29 9 38 9.3
House Keeping 20 56 76 18.7
Agriculture
18 0 18 4.4
Total 407 100
The average income per day of the respondents are Rs.123.5. Opinion of the workers about the wage is in between average and bad (table 2) and there is no regularity on payment of their wages, provident fund, gratuity amount etc., In their opinion, the delay in wage payment is due to fall in prices and lack of demand for tea.
Table: 2
Quantified value respondents opinion about the wages
Very good Good Average Bad Very bad Total
Weight 5 4 3 2 1
Frequency 8 6 24 34 28
Product 40 24 72 68 28 232
64% of the respondents are borrowing money at high rate of interest from the money lenders when they do not get wages in time (table: 3). 58% of the labourers are staying in the line houses provided by the management and their opinion about the houses and other amenities is in between bad and very bad (Table: 4).
Table: 3
Sources of money when non-receipt of wage at right time
sources male female total percentage
1 Borrowing from friends 15 10 25 25
2 Taking from savings 5 6 11 11
3 Borrowing with interest 30 34 64 64
total 50 50 100 100
Table: 4
Opinion about the houses and other amenities providing by the management
Amenities Very good Good Bad Very bad Not useful Total
Bathroom 1 8 59 12 20 100
Kitchen 1 8 62 15 14 100
Bedroom 1 4 72 18 5 100
Furniture 0 8 11 54 27 100
Water 0 1 94 3 2 100
Electricity 1 7 12 72 8 100
77% of the workers have got health problems due to their work in the plantations and 90% of them opined that the management provides help for the labourers. 98% of the labourers opined that their factory had been closed down and electricity to the line houses, where the workers stay, has been disconnected for non-payment of charges by the company. The estate hospitals do not function; supply of drinking water has been stopped and people walk five kilometres to fetch water. Many children have stopped going to school also. There have been eight cases of suicide and 12 deaths due to starvation and denial of medical care, since the crisis in the tea industry began. Further they are not at all satisfied with the role played by the tea board and government to solve their problems. Further they have got regret that the society do not play any role in providing a solution to the tea plantation labourers.
Conclusion
Since the plantation sector is a very important employment provider in Kerala, the government of Kerala should take keen interest in the existence of this industry. The government should ensure that the plantations have been shut down their operations only under unavoidable situations. The market share of Indian tea is reducing year after year and it reduces the foreign exchange earnings of our country. The reasons for the same are low quality of tea supplied and unhealthy competition in the market. The central government must introduce innovative packages to revive the industry and some subsidies must also be given to the tea companies. Low quality tea imported from other countries is again exported to European countries as Indian product and this badly affects the image of Indian tea. Necessary steps must be taken to check this unethical practice. Further the government should make sure that the dues to the employees are given in time. Free ration should be provided to employees when the factory is shut down.
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