Assam's Small Tea Growers Gain Access to Government Benefits via New Portal

In a significant move for small tea growers in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced the launch of the Farmers’ Registry Portal. This initiative allows growers to register and receive Farmer IDs, enabling them to access essential government benefits, fertilizers, and institutional credit. The inclusion of tea and plantation land in this digital platform is expected to streamline support for the tea community, which contributes significantly to the state's tea production. Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika emphasized the importance of this initiative in providing much-needed assistance to small tea growers, ensuring they receive the support they deserve.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 28, 2026, 10:23 IST

New Initiative for Small Tea Growers in Assam

A file image of tea garden workers in Assam. (Photo: @ExecutivePinX/ X)

Guwahati, June 28: The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has announced that small tea growers in the state can now register on the Farmers’ Registry Portal, allowing them to access various government benefits from a single platform.

These growers will receive Farmer IDs, which will enable them to obtain fertilizers, benefits from government schemes, and institutional credit under more favorable conditions, according to the Chief Minister.

Although the tea sector will still be managed by the Industry Department, this initiative will allow small tea growers to benefit from the resources offered by the Agriculture Department.

“Today is a landmark day for the numerous small tea growers in Assam. The inclusion of tea and plantation land in the Farmers’ Registry Portal is a significant step forward,” Sarma stated in a social media update.

He referred to this initiative as a “game-changer,” emphasizing that the Farmer ID system would guarantee timely access to fertilizers, streamline access to government schemes, facilitate easier institutional credit, and minimize the exploitation of tea growers by middlemen.

“This is a significant advancement for the tea community, allowing them to access all government benefits through one platform,” he added.

Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika expressed that this decision would provide essential support to small tea growers, who currently account for nearly half of Assam's tea production. “For generations, the hard work and dedication of Assam’s small tea growers have been pivotal in establishing the identity of Assam Tea,” he remarked in a post.

Hazarika noted that the inclusion of tea and plantation-class land in the Farmers’ Registry Portal would allow eligible growers to obtain Farmer IDs and access government support.

“Our priority now is to ensure that every eligible small tea grower is smoothly integrated into this digital ecosystem and receives the support they deserve,” he concluded.

As per data from the Tea Board of India, there were 1,33,864 small tea growers in Assam cultivating 1,26,107.64 hectares as of March 31, 2025.