The Tea Board is the organization in the public sector that oversees the Tea Industry in the Republic of Mauritius. The current activities of the Board are summarized below:
(a) Issue of Tea Property Licences (Operating Units)
From the 1st of June to the 15th July in any year, the Tea Board issues or renews licences for the establishment and cultivation of tea plantations, and for operating tea factories, tea blending plants and/or tea packing plants on a yearly basis. Tea may be shipped out of the country only by companies or individuals who are licensed by the board to that effect.
A nominal fee of Rs. 10.00 per arpent is charged for tea plantation. As for the licensing of other tea properties a fee of Rs. 2,000.00 per operating unit is charged. If the license is renewed after 15th July, a surcharge of 20% is applicable.
(b) Registration of contracts
Every tea planter is required to enter into a green leaf contract with any manufacturer of his choice for a given contractual year that extends from 1st July to 30th June. All green leaf contracts should be submitted to the Board for registration before 31st August in the contractual year. The contract is valid up to the end of the contractual year in which it is registered.
(c) Tea Import Licence
At present the policy of government as implemented by the Tea Board is not to allow the importation of black tea except for small quantities of high quality teas either for blending purposes or for use in top class hotels. The import of green tea is also allowed.
The following charges have to be paid to the Tea Board for each consignment imported:
(i) An import licence fee of Rs. 5,000.00 for any type of tea.
(ii) Import levy amounting to 17% of CIF value.
(d) Tea Export Licence
Tea export licences are issued only in favour of licensed tea manufacturers, tea blenders and tea packers. Generally the services of a licensed tea shipper are retained by the exporter to attend to custom formalities.
No fees are claimed for the issue of tea export permits.
(e) Green leaf prices
The Board determines the green leaf prices to be paid to the different categories of green leaf producers for leaf supplied to manufacturers during any contractual year. A minimum price is dertermined in June for the following contractual year, a first partial payment of the final price in August following the end of the contractual year and a second partial payment of the final price in December in the event that the final price has not been determined by the Board by 30 November of that year. Green leaf prices determined by the Board are published in the Government gazette and two dailies almost immediately after each determination.
(f) Actions carried out by the Tea Board as a regulatory body
As the sole organization that controls and regulates the activities of the Tea Industry, the Board ensures that :
(i) Leaf of a standard satisfying the norms acceptable to the Board is received at the tea factories
(ii) Tea manufactured in our factories comply to the requirements of the Tea Industry Control Act 1975 as amended.
(iii) The deduction made on account of green leaf surface moisture is as per the percentage approved by the Board. At present, the approved rate is at 3% for any green leaf consignment received at the factory, irrespective of the season.
(iv) Miscellaneous operations performed in the tea plantations and tea factories are in conformity with the provisions of the Tea Industry Control Act 1975 and Tea Industry Control Regulations 1980, both as amended.
