The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI) will organise a three-day event in Coonoor from September 21 to 23 bringing together experts, policy makers, and stakeholders of the plantation sector.

Vice President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan will be the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the centenary conference of the UPASI Tea Research Foundation on September 21.

The event will mark the completion of 100 years of the UPASI Tea Research Foundation that was established in 1926 as the UPASI Tea Scientific Department.

The UPASI president, Ajoy Thipaiah, said in a press release that following the inauguration on September 21, scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, and allied stakeholders will take part in an international conference to be held on September 22.

The technical deliberations will fall under four main expert sessions – sustainable tea, climate smart tea, smart tea, and new frontiers for the tea sector.

On September 23, technical sessions will be held on the topics “The Regenerative Plantation” by Sunil D. Tamgale, Scientific Agro Technologies, Chikkamagaluru; “Alternative Coffee Species: Liberica and Excelsa in Modern Coffee Industry Landscape” by Thai Dang, Founder, 96B Café & Roastery and 96B Coffee Company, Vietnam; and “Navigating EUDR: Ensuring Sustainable and Traceable Coffee and Rubber Production” by Manoj Vembu, TRST01, Singapore.

Mr. Thipaiah added that the 133rd annual conference of UPASI will be held on September 23 when awards will be presented to the winners of the Golden Leaf India Awards (TGLIA): Southern Tea Competition.

The UPASI Industrial Exhibition (Plantation Expo) will be held on September 22 and 23, he added.

As the cultivation season has now begun in the Nilgiris district, seeds of hill vegetable crops required by farmers must not be sold at excessive prices, according to a warning issued by the Deputy Director of Seed Inspection (In-charge), Coimbatore.

“With the cultivation season under way in the Nilgiris, farmers are actively engaged in growing hill vegetable crops such as carrot, beetroot, potato, and others. Farmers procure the certified seeds required for these crops from private seed dealers and retail outlets,” a press release from the office of the Deputy Director of Seed Inspection said.

They said that seed dealers must sell only seeds that are of good quality and at the time of sale, must issue sales receipts to farmers. Seeds must be sold with a valid seed sale licence while farmers have also been advised to purchase seeds only from licensed seed shops.

“If anyone is found hoarding seeds to create an artificial shortage (increase demand) and selling them at inflated prices, legal action will be taken under the Seeds Control Order, 1983, through the appropriate judicial process. Therefore, during the current cultivation season, all licensed seed dealers are instructed to sell only quality seeds to farmers in accordance with the provisions of the Seeds Act, 1966and related rules,” the press release added.