hi!

indian tea industry - specially the bengal tea industry is suffering
real bad - we need to try and do something for these poor labourers -
i would request all our friends to get together and talk about this
serious issue for the sake of humanity that we owe towards all humans.
we need to work out a way to save this industry from being wiped out.

looking forward to suggestions.

details of the crisis can be viewed at www.tching.com

thanks for your time
ankit lochan

On Aug 21, 1:59 am, Ankit Lochan wrote:
hi!

indian tea industry - specially the bengal tea industry is suffering
real bad - we need to try and do something for these poor labourers -
i would request all our friends to get together and talk about this
serious issue for the sake of humanity that we owe towards all humans.
we need to work out a way to save this industry from being wiped out.

looking forward to suggestions.

details of the crisis can be viewed atwww.tching.com

thanks for your time
ankit lochan

Ankit,
I would recommend getting in touch with the United Farm Workers Union
- www.ufw.org. They are helping to get decent working conditions
organized for plantation workers in many third world countries and are
full of ideas for setting up working condition and wage standards.
Personally, I was an activist for this union when it started and I
know that agreements CAN be reached between the farmers and farm
owners. It takes a good deal of grit, but it can be done.
Shen

On Aug 22, 4:38 am, Shen wrote:
On Aug 21, 1:59 am, Ankit Lochan wrote:

hi!

indian tea industry - specially the bengal tea industry is suffering
real bad - we need to try and do something for these poor labourers -
i would request all our friends to get together and talk about this
serious issue for the sake of humanity that we owe towards all humans.
we need to work out a way to save this industry from being wiped out.

looking forward to suggestions.

details of the crisis can be viewed atwww.tching.com

thanks for your time
ankit lochan

Ankit,
I would recommend getting in touch with the United Farm Workers Union
-www.ufw.org. They are helping to get decent working conditions
organized for plantation workers in many third world countries and are
full of ideas for setting up working condition and wage standards.
Personally, I was an activist for this union when it started and I
know that agreements CAN be reached between the farmers and farm
owners. It takes a good deal of grit, but it can be done.
Shen

thank you shen.

i have shot off an e-mail to them. will keep you posted on the
development.

regards
ankit

Ankit

I think people tend to be generous about humanitarian aid, especially
this year, things are so bad everywhere.

What troubles me is that there are two - in fact three distinct
problems he potential a humanitarian crisis in the making,
potential overcapacity of the tea industry and possible mistreatment
of workers (which is a worldwide third wolrd phenomena).

Our direct donation can only directly help in the first, but there is
little we can do to the second and the third, except to leave to other
more able people move things forward.

I am not an expert in any of these 3 areas, but India currently
provides the lion share of the world tea consumption, and promoting a
certain tea only moves the demand from one estate to another.

Certain tea garden like yours are already actively using the profit-
sharing theme as the marketing tool, and rightly so, although it will
be nice to know the details.

CTC teas are commodity. The reason it is not doing well is because the
price is too low. If that is the case, it will be good to know why the
price has collapsed.

If you know of any reliable charity organisation who is involved to
provide humanitarian aid, please let us know. We will be keen to help.

Julian
http://www.amazing-green-tea.com