Dibrugarh, Sept. 15 -- The members of All Assam Small Tea Growers' Association (AASTGA) on Monday staged a protest outside DC office in Dibrugarh decrying the dramatic collapse in green tea leaf prices.

Prices have plunged from a peak of Rs 52 per kg to as low as 15- will below the production cost of Rs 25-27 per kg.

"Our demand to the government to establish a minimum sustainable price (MSP) for green leaf but they are not taking it seriously. We are facing complete ruin. When it cost us Rs 25 to Rs 27 to produce one kg of quality green tea leaves, how can we survive selling at Rs 15? We are operating at massive losses every day," said Rubul Hatibaruah, president of AASTGA.

He said, "We are peaceful farmers and doing green revolution ...