When the first complete lockdown was announced after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, Supriya Sahu, CEO of INDCOSERVE, the “largest tea cooperative federation in India”, had to choose between two options. “We could either close all our factories and give up, or do something to help small tea growers ensure that their livelihoods are not too badly affected,” says Ms. Sahu, an Additional Chief Secretary rank IAS officer. She chose the latter.
“When the pandemic hit, we realised various governments and organisations were giving tea as part of their COVID-relief packages. We reached out to State governments and these organisations, who gave us substantial orders for our tea,” she says, talking of the revival story.
