Adverse weather: North Indian tea industry faces production shortfall

Alipurduar: Owing to adverse weather conditions, the North Indian tea industry is facing a production shortfall of 6 crore kgs till June of the current crop year compared to the corresponding period last year, claimed the Tea Association of India (TAI) in a release.

TAI claims that tea plantations in North India are in crisis. In Bengal and Assam, the highest quality tea is produced in the first and second flushes from January to May. “Excessive heat and lack of rain from January to May, followed by excess rain in June and lack of sunlight, severely affected production,” stated Sandeep Singhania, president of the TAI.

Tea experts noted that the loss in North Bengal is much higher compared to Assam. The North Indian tea industry refers to the tea industry of Assam and North Bengal. Measuring this loss in monetary terms is challenging, but even at a minimum of Rs 200 per kg, the loss is at least Rs 1,200 crore.

Singhania said: “The production figures of the North Indian tea industry reflect a precarious state of affairs, with insufficient rainfall and excessive heat hampering production during the current cropping season up to May 2024.”

He added that the data released by the Tea Board of India indicates a production drop of around 8 per cent in Assam and around 13 per cent in Bengal up to April 2024 compared to the same period last year. The loss of the first and second flush, the best quality teas for the year, will impact producers’ revenue.

“With natural circumstances beyond control, the tea industry in Assam and West Bengal faces an ill-starred future. An increase in essential inputs, including wages and outflow for higher bonuses, will toll the knell for the North Indian tea industry,” stated Sandeep Singhania.

Chinmay Dhar, Chairman, TAI, North Bengal, said: “There is an urgent meeting on June 26 with all our member tea gardens. We will try to find a way out of this crisis in that meeting. Different plans will be formulated. An appeal will be made to the government also.”