Small tea growers, accounting for nearly 28 per cent of the total tea area, contribute 26 per cent to the overall tea production in the country. The minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia gave this information in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. He said the government is running several schemes to benefit the growers and encourage them to improve farm productivity and the quality of tea produced. The minister said, twenty two thousand seven hundred ninety one growers have benefitted from the scheme during the last three years. The schemes envisage assistance of 100 per cent grant for setting up leaf collection centres, storage godowns, purchasing leaf weighing scales, plastic crates and nylon leaf carry bags. Besides, vehicles are provided at 50 per cent of the cost for transportion and establishing mini tea processing factories among other facilities.