Tea Production: Socio-Economic Conditions Of Workers And The Problems In Production Of Tea In Meghalaya, India.

Abstract

In the present study, it is operationally defined as the inconveniences faced by the workers in performing various tasks at the tea garden and tea garden factory. The basic aim of this paper is to highlight the socioeconomic condition of the workers in tea estates and the problems that arise in the production of tea in Meghalaya. The study has been carried out in three districts, such as West Garo Hills, East Khasi Hills, and Re-Bhoi districts. Eight estates, under Private, Society, and Government, which were divided into three categories, were selected using the census sampling method. A total of 167 workers were selected as the sample size for the present study. Questionnaire-based and schedule-based interviews were conducted with the tea estate workers to collect primary data. To analyse the data, simple percentage analysis, descriptive statistics, and the Chi square test have been used in Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences. A hypothesis was framed to test whether there is no significant association between gender and the problems that arise in the production of tea. The test results found that there is an association between gender and problems in the production of tea. Also, the major findings of the study revealed that the low level of external inputs is the highest challenge facing the production of tea in Meghalaya, and this leads to the industry’s progress, competitiveness, and sustainability by not allowing for innovation, efficiency improvements, or timely responses to challenges.