Small tea growers in India, representing 52% of the country's tea production, have approached the Union Commerce Ministry with a status report detailing their issues and requests for government assistance. The report, prepared by BDO India LLP and submitted by the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Associations (CISTA), emphasizes the need for cluster development, modernization of bought leaf factories, and a production-linked incentive scheme to move small growers up the value chain. It also points out challenges such as high risk profiles for credit, lack of crop insurance, and difficulty in establishing market linkages. A delegation from CISTA met with the Union Commerce secretary to present the report and seek solutions.