I think the introduction of machines won’t help. It creates other problems, this can be seen all over the world since industrialization began. Machines aren’t used to make people lives better (people could work less hours for the same amount of money), but instead machines substitute people who end up without jobs or working for even less money because they are afraid to lose their jobs.
One thing that could help, maybe.. is the union of the small tea producers, so that they would help each other instead of fighting to see who will get the sale. I don’t know how this could be done, if it can be done… but I guess it could be a way. They need to help themselves.
The manufactured tea will always be of superior quality and there is people willing to buy it. The producers need to know how good their tea is and get a good price for it.
There’s no use in producing more. They should try producing better instead.
Just some thoughts. I’m really alien to chinese/indian economy.
