Owing to heavy and continuous monsoon showers, major tea growing areas in Assam have been affected, which is likely to lower overall tea output in the country this year Although the monsoon brings a sigh of relief for farmers, tea planters are sceptical about the impact of monsoon showers on tea output this year. Continuous rainfall in major tea growing areas such as Assam is likely to affect the overall tea output in the country this year.
Negative impact of monsoon on tea output
.jpg) Tea plants grow best in well-drained soil or in terrace farming land, where water is prevented from stagnating in a particular area, thereby preventing rotting of tea plants. Tea output gets affected easily as the plant is unable to grow in extreme weather conditions such as droughts, frost and high humidity. This year monsoon has coincided with the peak tea production season in Assam. Therefore, unfavourable weather conditions have dampened exporters’ hopes of earning high profits due to low availability of a particular tea variety that is in high demand in the global market. Moreover, anticipated low tea output is likely to affect consumers too as prices of the commodity are likely to heat up in the coming days. Another major reason for low tea output has been pest attacks that have intensified further due to continuous heavy rainfall in the tea growing areas of Assam. Helopeltis, a pest that destroys tea leaves, has been playing foul. In this context, Himanshu Gogoi, proprietor of Dinesh Exporters, a small-sized tea exporter in Dibrugarh, Assam says, “Since pesticides in the soil are being washed away by continuous showers, pests attacks are likely to continue, thereby destroying tea plants.” In Assam, Moran in Dibrugarh and Doomdooma in Tinsukia have witnessed worst pest attacks this year.
Road ahead
“In order to improve tea production in the coming months, tea cultivators should prune the plants that are being affected by helopeltis. Therefore, usage of latest equipment and water soluble pesticides would help to maintain regular tea output,” says Dinabandhu Das, manager of Kailash Ltd, a small-sized tea supplier in Tinsukia, Assam. Resultantly, losses incurred in tea production till now would be minimised.
Sabrina Mitchell |
