A strategic analysis of tea leaves supply chain before manufacturing – a case in Assam
Benchmarking: An International Journal
ISSN: 1463-5771
Article publication date: 10 January 2019
Issue publication date: 11 February 2019
Abstract
Purpose
There exists insufficient literature on classification and taxonomy of tea leaves supply chain (TLSC), so the purpose of this paper is to study the existing TLSCs and classify them accordingly. Apart from this, the paper also focuses on identification of key decisions issues in the supply chains (SC) and developing a TLSC decision framework for the state of Assam in India.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on a two-year detailed study on TLSC in Assam which encompasses 22 Tea Estates, 41 Small Tea Gardens (STGs) and a Research Institute (Tocklai Tea Research Institute). Secondary data were collected from relevant websites of various government organizations of India, company’s websites, annual reports, official statements from the companies, tea market reports, annual reports of the Indian Tea Association, the Tea Board of India, Tea Research Institute and published reports, etc.
Findings
The “point of origin” of TLSC is a tea garden, “point of consumption” is considered as a tea factory and green tea leaves (GTLs) forms the basic raw material. This SC includes mainly three players: Tea leaves growers, manufacturers of made tea and tea leaves agents. This study identifies the three types of TLSCs existing in Assam: TLSC1, TLSC2 and TLSC3. Among them, only TLSC1 is both responsive as well as an efficient chain, while the rest are only responsive chains. Later two SCs can be made efficient with the proposed TLSC4.
Research limitations/implications
There is an insufficient literature on classification and taxonomy of TLSC, therefore the study (considerably the classification and taxonomy of TLSC) was developed from the primary data which were collected from the 22 Tea Estates and 41 STGs of four districts of Assam, because of limited time (two years). The study should have involved more tea estates and small tea gardens for better classification and taxonomy.
Practical implications
The proposed model suggests that small tea growers may create a co-operative whereby smaller tea gardens (STGs) (members of the co-operative) unite to act as a single large garden, set up their own co-operative factory and recruit permanent tea plucking laborers. This up-gradation of TLSC2 and TLSC3 to TLSC4 may enable a group of STGs to work in a manner similar to a Tea Estate.
Originality/value
To the best of authors’ knowledge this is one of the first studies to classify the TLSC in Assam.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Dr Niladri Gupta (ex. Scientist (GIS), Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, Assam) for advice and comments on this research. The authors extend their gratitude also to all the previous colleagues of Kaziranga University, Jorhat, Assam for their support. And special thank goes to Haris Jamal, Bishnu Prasad Gogoi, Radha Boruah, Priyam Hazarika, Pranob Jyoti Lahon, Mukut Chandra Medhi, Manob Hazarika and Upasana Kashyap (Assistant Professors, Kaziranga University, Assam) for assisting the authors during fieldwork. The authors are thankful to the reviewers of this paper for their valuables suggestions and comments.
Citation
Paul, T. and Mondal, S. (2019), "A strategic analysis of tea leaves supply chain before manufacturing – a case in Assam", Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 246-270. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-01-2018-0007
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited