The Authority has begun a programme of society formation and strengthening across the tea-growing districts, working through the regional offices and the Tea Inspector ranges.
A Tea Smallholder Development Society is a village-level body of registered smallholders within one Tea Inspector range. It receives input allocations on behalf of its members, buys in bulk, runs savings and welfare schemes and represents its members to collectors and factories. Registration is what allows a group to do any of that.
Groups interested in forming a society should speak to the Tea Inspector for their range. The formation process, the documents required and the current processing time are set out under Services.
The programme also includes training for existing office bearers at the Hantana National Training Centre, on the constitution, meetings and minutes, accounts and member records — the things a society’s standing is assessed against.