The government today announced an assistance of Rs 74.41 lakh for over 14,000 tea growers for the current year under the Price Stabilisation Fund Scheme that would also cover rubber and coffee.The price band for commodities like rubber, coffee and tea is aimed at providing financial relief to the growers when the prices of these commidities fall below a specified level, an official release said.As per the Price Spectrum Band 2005, 14,883 tea growers would recieve financial assistance of Rs 74.41 lakh from the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) Trust during the current year."The scheme is based on the principle of contribution from the growers and from the government depending upon boom, normal or distress years with a provision for withdrawal by the growers during the distress year," it said.The annual average domestic price for tea during 2005 was Rs 56.5 per kg, Rs 53.65 per kg for coffee-robusta, Rs 104.34 per kg for coffee-arabica and Rs 60.68 per kg for natural rubber, it said.
