Question : ACTION AGAINST FAKE EXPORTERS

(a) whether the Tea Board has embarked upon a major drive to weed out bogus tea exporters from the system and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the steps taken by the Tea Board in this regard and the success achieved by the Tea Board in their efforts;

(c) whether there have been reports of the loss being suffered by the Government due to malpractices and counterfeit products manufactured and exported from the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken/being taken by the Government to weed out such exporters and manufacturers; and

(e) whether the Government has fixed any responsibility in this regard and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (DR. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a) & (b): Tea Board of India has cancelled 157 permanent exporters licenses during 2012-13 for not complying with the following provisions of The Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005:

i. For not exporting any tea in the preceding three years or

ii. For not complying the directives of the registering authority or

iii. For not submitting the monthly export returns.

(c): As far as tea exports are concerned, there are no reports of malpractices. However, an online mechanism has been set up by the Tea Board to monitor that the tea exported outside or imported within India are complying to the standard norms.

(d) & (e): Does not arise.